A barangay councilor who has been implicated in a murder case was shot dead by still unidentified motorcycle-riding gunmen who rode in tandem in Barangay Casate in Ubay on Thursday afternoon.
The fatality, Isabelo Valmoria, 50, of the said village, who sustained a single gunshot wound was rushed to the Don Emilio del Valle Memorial Hospital in Ubay but was declared dead on arrival, said Corporal Randy Tuyor of the Ubay Police Station.
“Dihay duha ka taw na nangita niya. Pag-atubang niya sa duha ka taw, gihatagan siya’g sobre na puti unya mao to pagbasa ni kagawad siguro, gipusil siya,” said Tuyor.
Police recovered from the crime scene three spent bullets fired from a still undetermined caliber pistol and a paper with a writing on it that read “Wag tularan, kawata’g manok.”
Tuyor who is investigating the case dismissed the possibility that the murder was due to theft and that the victim was involved in such a case.
The police officer however noted that Valmoria was involved in a murder case.
On Tuesday, Valmoria surrendered before the Ubay Police Station for alleged involvement in the killing of a resident of the town but was released on the same day after posting bail.
Valmoria allegedly punched the victim but it was his companion who was accused of carrying out the murder.
“Mura’g ni tabang ra siya [Valmoria]. Ni-surrender siya paghibaw na naa siyay warrant pero wa ra pud na priso…accomplice ra siya. Dili siya ang gadunggab, nanumbag kuno to sa [biktima] matud sa witness sa pikas,” said Tuyor.
Tuyor said investigations were still ongoing to determine the motive behind the fatal gun attack against Valmoria but they are looking into the barangay official’s involvement in the murder case as an angle.
“Di sa pud ta moingon na mao g’yud to, palawman pa nato, pero naay posibilidad,” he said. (Allen Doydora)