By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Another barangay kagawad was shot dead by still-unidentified suspects Tuesday night in Barangay Gatuslao, Candoni, Negros Occidental.

The police identified the fatality as 58-year-old Willie Castro, a resident of the said area.
Candoni municipal police chief, Police Senior Inspector Jennick Bermudez, said, around 7:00 p.m., the victim left his home to see why their dog was continuously barking and was shot three times, sustaining wounds across different parts of his body.
Bermudez said witnesses saw the two unidentified suspects in front of the official’s house.
He added, Castor was rushed to the Candoni Rural Health Unit and was later transferred to the Lorenzo Zayco District Hospital in neighboring Kabankalan City, where he was declared dead on arrival by hospital staff.
Bermudez said investigators are looking into the motive behind the shooting, although the family does not believe politics was behind the incident.
The shooting is the second incident involving a barangay official in the last four days, following the recently-concluded barangay elections.
Last Saturday, Barangay General Malvar Kagawad Salvacion Samson was also shot dead in her home in Pontevedra, Negros Occidental
Investigations found an unidentified armed suspect walked into the home, shot the local official, and escaped on a motorcycle.
She was brought to the Valladolid District Hospital but was declared dead on arrival by the attending physician, according to police records.
Pontevedra Municipal Police Station personnel are still determining the identity of the suspects and the motives behind the killing.
Castro and Samson were supposed to assume office on July 1 as newly-elected barangay officials./DGB, WDJ