By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

A former barangay kagawad of Barangay Malasibog in Escalante City was shot dead by unidentified suspects at the national highway of Sitio Tanquinto in the city’s Barangay Mabini, Thursday evening.

Police identified the fatality as 60-year-old Ernesto Valiente, a resident of Sitio Balok in Barangay Malasibog.

Escalante City police said Valiente sustained multiple gunshot wounds on his body and was pronounced dead at the Vicente Gustilo District Hospital.

Witnesses to the crime said the suspects fled towards Barangay Balintawak. Police said the victim went to his son around 4:00 p.m. and after dinner around 7:00 p.m. the victim decided to go to his other son with his friends who went ahead of him when a vehicle without plate arrived and suddenly stopped beside the victim. One of the suspects said in vernacular “kinsa ninyo, Sir? (Who are you, sir) then shot the victim with an unknown firearm.

This is the third shooting incident in Escalante City this month. Police are still investigating the incidents./DGB, WDJ