KIDAPAWAN CITY (MindaNews/15 January) — – A female village chair was shot dead by one of her councilors following a heated altercation during a barangay council session in Dimoloc, Malita, Davao del Sur at around 3 p.m. Friday.
Killed was Clara Ballota, 45, chair of Barangay Dimoloc in Malita. She suffered two gunshot wounds on her neck, reports from the Davao del Sur provincial police said.
The suspect, Councilor Leobardo Lainggo, also shot himself and died on the spot.
Police said Ballota was presiding the session when at the middle of their discussion of a local issue, Lainggo got irritated, took his caliber 45 pistol and shot her twice on the face. The report did not say what was the issue that led to the altercation.
The death of Ballota and Lainggo was a shock to the villagers of Dimoloc, a hinterland village in a coastal town of Malita in Davao del Sur.
Even the desk officer of the Davao del Sur PNP, after he learned of the report, could not believe it happened in a village he perceived as “very peaceful.”
“We’re still in the process of investigating further the incident,” said Police Officer 3 Carlito Nailes of the anti-vice and investigation division of the Malita police. (Malu Cadelina-Manar/MindaNews)
