By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

A female activist was shot dead by an unidentified gunman in Sta. Maria Street, Eroreco Subdivision, located in Bacolod City’s Barangay Mandalagan on Monday night.

Police identified the fatality as 39-year-old Zara Alvarez, an activist and human rights defender of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan-Negros (Bayan-Negros)

Police investigation revealed that Alvarez had just ordered some grilled chicken at the roadside grill when she was shot six times by the suspect.

The victim sustained wounds in various parts of her body and was declared “dead-on-the-spot” by responding paramedics.

In a statement given by Karapatan-Negros, they said they are saddened over Alvarez’s demise, pointing out she was their former campaign and education director and paralegal in Negros.

Karapatan said Alvarez was imprisoned for nearly two years and after her release, she continued to work as their paralegal and as research and advocacy officer of the Negros Island Health Integrated Program (NIHIP).

Like [Ka Randy Echanis], she was included among those tagged as “terrorists” in a proscription case of the Department of Justice filed in 2018.

“Her name and that of many others were stricken off the list, but the threats against her by alleged State forces continued,” the group added.

As of press time, police are still investigating the incident./DGB, WDJ