Masked men shoot, kill Iligan barangay chairman

By NORA SORINO,
NENE LACHICA and
NEAL ASEQUIA
of GSD-Iligan Bureau

ILIGAN City–Two still unidentified men shot and killed a barangay chairman on Andres Bonifacio Street, this city, on Thursday afternoon.

The victim, Saray barangay chairman Robert Fuentes, was shot to the head by masked men on a motorcycle at around 5 pm in his own barangay on Thursday.

The 50-year old Fuentes was declared dead on arrival in a hospital.

Police said Fuentes had just boarded a barangay patrol vehicle with barangay tanod members to buy electrical supplies  at a hardware when the official was attacked.

Investigators said the masked suspects used a black and white Honda XRM motorcycle without a license plate.

Witnesses said the motorcycle backrider stepped down and fired several shots. At pointblank range, Fuentes was hit in the head by a bullet fired from a caliber .45 pistol.

Fuentes had been in the list of “high-value targets” or “drug personalities.” But he had strongly denied that he was involved in illegal drug activities, and had claimed to have been falsely accused.

Fuentes had been active in the anti-drug campaign in his barangay, even initiating some law enforcement operations against villagers linked to illegal drug operations.

City police director Senior Supt. Leony Roy Ga said investigation is ongoing at presstime, and he is waiting for an official report.

Fuentes was elected a barangay councilor but he assumed as village chief after his sister in law, barangay chairperson Myla Fuentes, resigned. The latter quit after her husband, Ronald Fuentes, was killed in September last year.