5 Dead in Masbate Ambush

NAGA CITY (30 August) - FIVE PEOPLE travelling in an owner-type jeep died in an ambush perpetrated by heavily armed men in an isolated barangay road in Sitio Landing, Barangay Bulod in San Pascual, Burias, Masbate at about 2:30 PM last August 28.

This was reported by the San Pascual Municipal Police Station to a local radio in this city last August 30.

The San Pascual MPS made the report on the ambush incident on Naga radio due to the town's proximity to the Camarines Sur coast than to Masbate City which entailed better phone signals.

The San Pascual MPS identified the fatalities as Municipal Councilor Winceslao Sinagpulo Jr.; Rael Hermosa Ponte, the driver of the jeep; Jun-Jun Aragon, a pastor of the Baptist Church in San Pascual town. Two others who were high school students are yet to be identified.

Initial police investigation disclosed that Councilor Sinagpulo had borrowed the jeep from San Pascual ABC president and Mapanique barangay captain Manuel Hermosa, for a trip to Barangay Mainit na Ilog, where the councilor was to attend a village meeting.

While the jeep was travelling to Barangay Mainit , Baptist pastor Aragon and two other students hitched for a ride bound for the said locality; upon reaching Sitio Landing, they were ambushed by the armed men.

Police investigators revealed that the incident was a case of mistaken identity since informants claimed that the target was Barangay Captain Hermosa.

Reportedly, Hermosa maintains wide influence that the candidates he endorses have won in his locality. The police had concluded the ambush was linked to local political rivalry in the coming barangay election on October this year. (SONNY SALES)