CITY OF SAN FERNANDO鈥擜 village chief in Bacolor town in Pampanga province and his two relatives were shot and killed by four men at the Madapdap resettlement in Mabalacat City on Saturday, police said.
Bacolor Mayor Jomar Hizon on Sunday said the murder of Rodrigo 鈥淭oy鈥澛� Tongol, village chief of Mesalipit, was 鈥渟enseless.鈥�
Tongol was driving the village鈥檚 service vehicle, carrying his uncle, Merlito Pineda, and brother-in-law, Pedro Canlas. At about 7 p.m., past the Madapdap bridge, the vehicle was flanked by two motorcycles, each with two men on board. The gunmen opened fire, killing the three men instantly.
He said Tongol, 51, was planning to run for a third听 term in the barangay election on Oct. 28. 鈥淸Tongol has] never been linked to illegal drugs or other crimes,鈥澛� Hizon said.
Senior Superintendent Oscar Albayalde, Pampanga police director, said investigators were looking at political conflict as a possible motive in the attack.
Tongol was the fourth village chief in Pampanga听 murdered since August last year.听 Tonette Orejas, Inquirer Central Luzon
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