In Northern Samar
CATARMAN, Northern Samar – A barangay chairman was killed while his councilor was wounded when they were fired upon by motorcycle-riding suspects in Lope de Vega town, this province, on Thursday afternoon.
Killed due to bullet wounds he sustained was Edwin Teopinto,44, village chairman of Bugho of said town. He sustained five gunshot wounds.
His companion, Benadio Laurian, 34, councilor of their village, survived the ambush though he sustained gunshot wounds.
The two, on board a motorcycle driven by Laurian, was cruising along Brgy. Bayho, 10 kms away from the town proper, when the motorcycle-riding suspects suddenly appeared and fired at them at about 2:50 pm.
SPO3 Marlon Hipe, municipal executive senior officer of the Lope de Vega police station, said that Teopinto died on the spot due to the five gunshot wounds he sustained while Laurian was hit on his right shoulder and right leg and is now recuperating at the Northern Samar Provincial Hospital (NSPH) in Catarman.
The two has just attended a Christmas party tendered by the municipal government for town barangay officials and on their way home when they were ambushed by still unidentified suspects.
The authorities are still investigating the incident to establish the motive of the suspects who immediately fled after the incident.
Police Superintendent Rafael Tayaban, community relations officer of the Northern Samar Police Provincial Office, called on the possible witnesses to report to the police so they could arrest the perpetrators. (RACHEL V. ARNAIZ)
