CALBAYOG CITY — Two persons were killed while another one was injured when two group of armed men traded shots at Purok 1, Barangay Dagum here late Thursday afternoon.
Police Lt. Col. Joel Cawilan Garcia, chief of the Calbayog City police, identified one of the fatalities as Simeon P. Tarrayo, 51, barangay councilman.
Garcia said Tarrayo was on board a motorcycle when spotted by two groups of armed riders cruising on the opposite lane.
One rider alighted and shot the victim at point blank past 4 pm.
Garcia said the victim fell to the ground but regained his composure and shot back, fatally hitting the gunman.
Witnesses said the victim is a staunch supporter of Calbayog City Mayor Ronald Aquino. He actively campaigned for the chief executive here during the recent mid-term elections.
Tarrayo was allowed to carry a firearm because of death threats, said Garcia.The victim survived during an attempt on his life several years back.
Garcia said the victim was rushed to a nearby medical center but was declared dead on arrival by an attending physician.
The gunman, on the other hand, was found lifeless just a few meters away from the crime scene apparently left behind by three other suspects who accelerated, heading nearby Bgy. Carmen.
Police investigators recovered spent shells for different calibers of firearms at the place of incident.Garcia directed a crack team of investigators to leave no stones unturned in the course of their probe.