Municipal councilor in Misamis shot dead in ambush

A councilor of Opol town in Misamis Oriental province was gunned down in an ambush Thursday afternoon, months after he started receiving death threats.

Opol town councilor Cecilio Abuhan was ambushed at 3 p.m. while riding his motorcycle in Sitio Inayawan in Barangay Bagocboc, GMA Northern Mindanao's Joane Tabique reported.

His widow Margielen Abuhan said the victim had received death threats, adding politics could be a possible motive for the ambush.

"Meron siyang banta sa kanyang buhay noon dahil sa pag-asikaso niya sa Barangay Bagocboc, mas nag-improve [ito]. Hindi ko alam kung sino ang naiingit sa kanya. Noong nakaraang buwan meron nagbanta sa kanya pero binalewala niya," she said.

The victim sustained four gunshot wounds in the back of the head, one in the neck, and one in the chest.

Dr. West Edquila, head of the Scene of the Crime Operations medico-legal unit, said the gunshot wounds on the head were fatal.

Also recovered from the crime scene were 10 shells, including four from a cal-.45 pistol and six from a 9-mm pistol.

Police are still looking for leads on the perpetrators and the motive behind the killing. — Joel Locsin /LBG, GMA News