Sarangani village chair shot dead in GenSan

GENERAL SANTOS CITY--An incumbent barangay chair from Alabel town in Sarangani province was killed while her companion was wounded in an attack by motorcycle-riding suspects here on Wednesday evening.

Chief Insp. Peter Pinalgan, chief of the city police station-3, said Barangay Baluntay chair Jonalyn Sumagka, 37, was aboard a car parked on one side of the highway in Purok Matahimik, Barangay Baluan, here when she was gunned down at around 8:30 p.m.

Pinalgan said the victim and her “live-in partner,” retired police officer Johnny Kinjiyo, had just stopped by a row of “balut” stalls in the area when a lone gunman approached them and opened fire.

Kinjiyo, 53, was last assigned at the Philippine National Police Maritime Group.

Sumagka suffered three gunshot wounds on the chest and body and was immediately rushed by Kinjiyo, who was slightly wounded, to the Socsargen County Hospital here.

She eventually succumbed to her wounds past 11 p.m. while Kinjiyo was declared in stable condition as he only sustained a graze on his abdomen.

Responding police operatives recovered at the scene two spent shells and a live bullet of a caliber .45 handgun.

Edgar Diamante, Barangay Baluan chair, said the gunman left the scene aboard a waiting motorcycle driven by a cohort, citing accounts from witnesses.

Pinalgan said they are currently eyeing several angles, including personal and work-related circumstances, as possible motive of the incident.

Based on the initial information gathered by their investigators, he said the slain barangay chair was supposedly involved in a land conflict that led to a personal grudge. He said they are also looking at the incident as possibly related to Sumagka’s work as chair of Barangay Baluntay, Alabel. (PNA)