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Date: 15 April 2010
Source: http://www.gmanews.tv/story/188528/supporter-of-mayoral-bet-shot-dead-in-iloilo-town

04/15/2010 | 04:20 PM

Supporter of mayoral bet shot dead in Iloilo town

A supporter of a mayoral candidate in an Iloilo town was shot dead on Wednesday by suspected members of the New People’s Army, a local police spokesperson said on Thursday.

Lenny Liza, a supporter of reelectionist Mayor Salvador Divinagracia Jr. from Calinog town, was killed by a group of 15 NPA rebels in Barangay Agcalaga at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Supt. Ranulfo Demiar of the Region VI police said.

Liza was in a convoy with the town mayor when their vehicles were stopped by the group of rebels, Demiar said.

The rebels immediately ordered all passengers to step out of the vehicles and held everyone in the convoy at gunpoint, he added.

The NPA members then searched for Liza in the group that accompanied the mayor, took the victim away from the others, and shot her in an instant, according to Demiar.

After killing Liza, the rebels disarmed Divinagracia’s two police escorts and allowed the convoy to leave, the local police spokesperson said.

Eight bullets from M14 rifles and 10 M16 rifle bullets were recovered from the crime scene, he added.

According to Demiar, initial investigation shows that the rebels killed the mayor’s supporter due to Divinagracia’s refusal to pay permit-to-campaign fees to the NPA members.

A special task force has already been created to further investigate the incident, he said.

Seventeen municipalities in Iloilo — including Calinog — have been earlier named as “hot spots” for the upcoming May polls due to intense political rivalries and active movement of armed rebels.

The military has earlier said that the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)’s extortion activities among politicians during the election season has become its main source of income for the past 11 years, earning for the group over a billion pesos during the said period.

The CPP however defended its “permit-to-campaign” policy, saying that it prevents election violence in certain areas known as NPA turfs. – Andreo C. Calonzo, RJAB Jr., GMANews.TV