ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 10 November) – Gunmen aboard a motorcycle killed a town councilor in Zamboanga Sibugay last Sunday and injured his wife, police reported.
Senior Supt. Robert Roy Bahian, Zamboanga Sibugay police director, identified the fatality as Councilor Sarabon Bawa, 52, of Tungawan municipality. Wounded was Bawa’s wife, Aida, 52, a businesswoman.
Tungawan Mayor Randy Climaco said the Bawa couple was into fishing business, who owned and operated fishing boats.
Bahian said the victims were repeatedly shot with a caliber .45 pistol by one of two men riding in tandem in a motorcycle around 1:30 p.m. Sunday along the national highway at Purok Talisay, Barangay Tiayon in the capital municipality of Ipil.
Bahian said investigation showed the victims were aboard a truck on the way to Ipil from Tungawan when the motorcycle-riding suspects overtook and repeatedly shot the victims.
He said the victims were rushed to the hospital but the councilor died along the way. His wife was admitted for treatment.
Bahian said the responding policemen have recovered a deformed slug and three spent shells of a caliber .45 pistol at the crime scene.
Climaco has urged the police to thoroughly investigate the incident to give justice to the family of the victims.
He said they have no information whether or not the victims have received threats on their lives prior to the incident.
He said Bawa was interred Monday morning following the Muslim tradition to bury their dead within 24 hours from death.