STO. DOMINGO, Nueva Ecija – The president of the Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) here, along with a former barangay captain and his sister, were killed in a daring attack Monday afternoon.
Three barangay tanod (village watchmen) were wounded in the attack.
Killed were Guillermo Bernardo, Dionisio Santos, 59, who was a former barangay captain, and his sister Eva Santos-de Guzman, 52, all of barangay San Francisco here.
Wounded were Celso Aquino, who was a former barangay councilor, Louie Flores, and Lelet Reña.
Senior Insp. Felix Castro Jr., Sto. Domingo police chief, said that the victims were conversing at the back of a still unfinished Catholic chapel when five unidentified suspects fired at them. Santos and his sister died on the spot while the ABC president was brought to a hospital in Talavera, Nueva Ecija but was declared dead on arrival.
Castro placed the incident at 1:30 p.m. The construction foreman and his six workers were still in their noon break and resting in another place when the attack occurred, he added.
The gunmen boarded a blue unmarked Lancer car and made good their escape. The gunmen did not wear anything to cover their faces, witnesses said.
Empty shells of M-16 rifles were recovered from the crime scene.
School children of the San Francisco Elementary School, which is adjacent to the site where the chapel is being built, ducked on their respective school room’s floor when the firing started.
“Takot na takot nga po iyong mga anak namin nang puntahan namin pagkatapos ng pamamaril (We found our children trembling in fear when we went to see them after the shooting),” some of the mothers told newsmen.
Castro, who was installed as police chief of this town last November 16, said the motive behind the killing is still being determined by his force.
Residents of barangay San Francisco said that last April, an unidentified man lobbed a hand grenade in the yard of the slain ABC president. No one was injured in the ensuing explosion.
Ex-barangay captain Santos, together with his brothers and sisters, donated the 200-meter lot as site of the chapel. He and his sister met with the slain ABC president and the village watchmen to see the progress of work in the proposed chapel.
The killing of Bernardo happened less than two months after another ABC president in a Nueva Ecija town was shot and killed, also in broad daylight.
Killed by a lone gunman last October 21 was Reynato Fermin, then ABC president of Jaen town. He was gunned down in his yard about 9:00 a.m. in barangay San Jose, in that town.
Three barangay tanod (village watchmen) were wounded in the attack.
Killed were Guillermo Bernardo, Dionisio Santos, 59, who was a former barangay captain, and his sister Eva Santos-de Guzman, 52, all of barangay San Francisco here.
Wounded were Celso Aquino, who was a former barangay councilor, Louie Flores, and Lelet Reña.
Senior Insp. Felix Castro Jr., Sto. Domingo police chief, said that the victims were conversing at the back of a still unfinished Catholic chapel when five unidentified suspects fired at them. Santos and his sister died on the spot while the ABC president was brought to a hospital in Talavera, Nueva Ecija but was declared dead on arrival.
Castro placed the incident at 1:30 p.m. The construction foreman and his six workers were still in their noon break and resting in another place when the attack occurred, he added.
The gunmen boarded a blue unmarked Lancer car and made good their escape. The gunmen did not wear anything to cover their faces, witnesses said.
Empty shells of M-16 rifles were recovered from the crime scene.
School children of the San Francisco Elementary School, which is adjacent to the site where the chapel is being built, ducked on their respective school room’s floor when the firing started.
“Takot na takot nga po iyong mga anak namin nang puntahan namin pagkatapos ng pamamaril (We found our children trembling in fear when we went to see them after the shooting),” some of the mothers told newsmen.
Castro, who was installed as police chief of this town last November 16, said the motive behind the killing is still being determined by his force.
Residents of barangay San Francisco said that last April, an unidentified man lobbed a hand grenade in the yard of the slain ABC president. No one was injured in the ensuing explosion.
Ex-barangay captain Santos, together with his brothers and sisters, donated the 200-meter lot as site of the chapel. He and his sister met with the slain ABC president and the village watchmen to see the progress of work in the proposed chapel.
The killing of Bernardo happened less than two months after another ABC president in a Nueva Ecija town was shot and killed, also in broad daylight.
Killed by a lone gunman last October 21 was Reynato Fermin, then ABC president of Jaen town. He was gunned down in his yard about 9:00 a.m. in barangay San Jose, in that town.
