Google map of Talakag town, Bukidnon.
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Authorities on Tuesday said they are looking at politics as the probable motive in the gunning down of two village councilors in Bukidnon town on Monday.
Maj. Silvestre Asiong Jr., Bukidnon provincial police spokesperson, said investigators are zeroing in on a political angle. He did not elaborate.
Asiong identified the victims as Loreno Pedyaan and Mauricio Guinto, both barangay councilors of Brgy. Dominorog in Talakag town.
Police described the victims as prominent political personalities in Dominorog, about 54 kilometers away from the center of Talakag that is predominantly populated by the Higaonon tribe.
A police report said the officials were about to enter the barangay hall to attend the session when shot by a gunman.
Pedyaan was shot on the chest and tried to run from the suspect but he fell down and died on the spot, police said.
Guinto was hit on the left side of his head and was declared dead on arrival by Dr. Tiza Joy Araneta, the attending physician at the Bukidnon Provincial Hospital, police said.
Staff Sgt. Ismael Balbutin, an investigator at the Talakag municipal police station, said in a separate interview there were three suspects riding two motorcycles involved in the shooting.
He said two of the suspects, on board one of the motorcycles, acted as lookouts.
“The lookouts positioned themselves near the barangay hall entrance. They must have signaled the gunman when they saw the two officials approaching the barangay hall,” Balbutin said.
Balbutin said prior to the incident, the majority members of the Dominorog barangay council, which included Pedyaan and Guinto, filed five resolutions against Judith Ocum, the village chairperson.
He said one of the village officials’ concerns was the barangay leader's failure to report for duty.
As of this posting, Ocum cannot be reached for comment.
Balbutin said the Talakag police have a list of persons of interest but they cannot release it yet to the public pending further investigation. (PNA)
