A BARANGAY chairman seeking reelection was shot dead by unidentified suspects in Taal, Batangas yesterday morning.
Police said Erasmo Hernandez, chairman of Barangay Poblacion 10, was sitting in front of the barangay hall at around 7:20 a.m. when he was shot by two suspects riding a motorcycle.
Taal police chief Maj. Fernando Fernando said Hernandez sustained multiple gunshot wounds in the head and body. A police report said the suspects used a cal. 45 pistol in the attack.
Hernandez was rushed to the Lemery Doctors Hospital where he was declared dead on arrival.
Police said the suspects fled towards Sta. Teresita town, also in Batangas, after the shooting.
Fernando said Hernandez is running for a second term as barangay chairman against a relative who is a councilor of the barangay. He said the two have a good relationship.
Citing results of interviews with barangay residents, Fernando said Hernandez served well as a barangay chairman and was confident he was going to win anew because he accomplished many projects.
Fernando said an investigation is underway to determine the identities of the suspects and the motive. He said they are looking into two angles — election-related and personal grudge.
He said members of Hernandez’s family are not aware of any threat to the life of the victim.
“They are blank as to why this (crime) was committed against the chairman,” he said.
In a press briefing at Camp Crame, PNP spokeswoman Col. Jean Fajardo said eight suspected election-related incidents have been reported so far in Bicol, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, and Soccsksargen.
The incidents included cases of shooting, unjust vexation, stabbing and grave threat.
“These eight incidents are being subjected to validation (to determine) whether or not these incidents can be categorized as election-related incidents,” said Fajardo.
The PNP said 277 violators have been arrested for violation of the election gun ban throughout the country since Thursday last week.
The suspects included two soldiers, a policeman, an elected government official, and two security guards.
The PNP said 179 firearms were seized during the period.
More than 1.4 million individuals have filed their Certificates of Candidacy (COCs) to run in the forthcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) on October 30.
Data from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) showed that 1,414,487 COCs were filed by barangay and youth candidates from August 28 to September 4.
“The results are more than what we can ask for,” said Comelec Chairman George Garcia in a message to reporters.
Back in the 2018 BSKE, there were 1,193,368 COCs filed with the Comelec.
Among the applicants, there were 96,962 aspiring to be barangay chairpersons and 731,682 looking to be barangay council members.
The Comelec also said there were 92,774 applicants for SK chairperson and 493,069 who are looking to be SK council members.
The COC filing period began last August 28 and ended September 2.
Extended, however, were the filing period in Ilocos Norte (until September 3) and in Abra and the National Capital Region (until September 4) due to interruptions caused by inclement weather.
“The final consolidation (of candidates) is tentatively set on September 19,” said Comelec spokesman John Rex Laudiangco. — With Gerard Naval
