ELECTION VIOLENCE: Village chief shot in Sara, Iloilo

*Gunman linked with a retired general who is running mayor under the Defensor group

A PUNONG barangay (village chief) in Sara, Iloilo was shot by purported supporters of a mayoral bet in the town at around 2 p.m. of May 11, 2019.

Punong Barangay Ronnie Dorde of Preciosa, Sara was rushed to a hospital in Iloilo City for gunshot wounds inflicted by a gunman accompanied by two others.

The shooting happened amid the massive deployment of police officers and military soldiers in the fifth district of Iloilo on orders of Brigadier General John Bulalacao, Police Regional Office-6 director; and Colonel Marlon Tayaba, Iloilo police provincial director.

Bulalacao and Tayaba flooded the district with cops to curb alleged vote buying activities but their presence did not stop armed persons from roaming the town of Sara.

On Wednesday, suspected New People’s Army members mounted a checkpoint in Miagao, Iloilo

A witness identified the gunman as a supporter of retired general Jon Aying, a mayoralty bet in Sara town and supporter of Arthur “Toto” Defensor Jr., son of incumbent Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr.

According to eyewitness accounts and initial reports from the area, Dorde tried to stop the gunman and four other companions from alleged vote buying activities in Preciosa.

Dorde tried to talk to the suspects but they resisted which led to a scuffle. The shooter later drew a handgun and repeatedly shot the village chief.

In their haste, the suspects left one of the motorcycles they used in the incident and is now in police custody. The motorcycle bore the registration plate MC-1023-FB.

Police also recovered the driver’s license of one of the suspects.

This is a developing story.