Mayor’s ex-bodyguard shot dead

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – A former bodyguard of a town mayor in Negros Occidental was gunned down by two unidentified motorcycle-riding assailants at Sitio Cabubuan, Barangay Pilar, Hinigaran town last Saturday.

Slain was Mariano Salazar Jr., 60, of Pantalan Da-an, Barangay 1. He worked as a bodyguard of Mayor Nadie Arceo three years ago.

Police Major James Latayon, town police chief, said that Salazar was riding a motorcycle from his piggery when he was reportedly tailed by the perpetrators and shot at close range.

The gunmen fled.

Salazar suffered two gunshot wounds on his back and was pronounced dead in a hospital.

Police recovered from the scene two cartridges of .45-caliber ammunition, the victim’s .45-caliber pistol with three magazines loaded with 23 live ammunitions, a knife, and his cellular phone.

Latayon said that it is possible that the perpetrators followed the victim’s activities before the killing.

He said they are eyeing revenge related to his work or personal life as possible motives for the killing, adding that the victim’s family claimed that he received threats.

Latayon said they have no persons of interest as of this time.

Meanwhile, in San Carlos City, Vevincio Aguilar, 47, of Barangay Rizal was gunned down by two unidentified men on a motorcycle at Barangay 2 Sunday morning.

Police Major Mark Angelo Junco, city police chief, said that Aguilar and his brother-in-law went to a hardware store onboard a tricycle.

After buying some construction materials, Aguilar was returning to his tricycle, when the perpetrators fired at him at close range using an unknown firearm and fled, Junco said.

The victim succumbed to a lone gunshot wound in the head.

Junco said they already have persons of interest linked to the killing, but they cannot yet establish the motive.

He said that Aguilar was an active member of an anti-communist organization.

He said that it is possible that the incident may be linked to his connection with the said organization. He, however, refused to elaborate more about it while the case is still under investigation.