Call for Justice for the slain barangay chair. Contributed photo
JAEN, Nueva Ecija – A village chair was shot dead while watering plants at the boundary arch of Barangay Lambakin here shortly after 6 a.m. Friday.
Police identified the victim as Zoilo de Belen, 56, first term head of the said village.
Witnesses said the victim was watering plants at the unpopulated village boundary when fired at by unidentified suspects on board a black sedan. He died on the spot due to multiple gunshot wounds.
His companion, a Bantay Bayan member, was away to get water when the attack happened.
Alex de Belen, the victim’s elder brother, said the official had always been confident that nothing bad would happen to him.
“Wala naman kasi siyang kaaway. Napakabuti niyang tao at kapitan,” he said.
De Belen wanted to grow flowers in the place because by-passers, particularly bikers would pose for pictures with the arch, Alex said.
Major Baltazar Corpuz, municipal police chief, said they are still digging angles as even the victim’s family told probers he had no known enemies.
Mayor Sylvia Austria condemned the killing and urged the police to deliver justice for De Belen.
“Si Kapitan Anlo ay mabuting lingkod-bayan na laging nakasuporta sa mga programa ng gobyerno,” Austria said.
