Bayan Muna leader is 3rd killed in Sorsogon in 2 weeks

A municipal coordinator in Sorsogon province of party-list group Bayan Muna was shot dead in Donsol town on Friday, the third leader of the militant organization killed in the province in just two weeks. Francisco Bantog, who was also Bayan Muna provincial auditor, was shot 20 times by three motorcycle-riding gunmen, according to Donsol municipal police chief Inspector Jigo Lopez. Bantog, who was also a "Butanding" interaction officer (BIO), was shot at about 10 a.m. Friday while he was at the Donsol Tourism Office. Butanding is the local name for whale sharks, which frequent the waters off Donsol and have made the town a popular destination for eco-tourists. Lopez said Bantog was with three other BIOs when the assailants, who were wearing motorcycle helmets, struck. Police recovered spent cartridges of .45-caliber bullets at the scene. Lopez said they will invite the three BIOs who witnessed the shooting for questioning to help shed light on the incident. Last December 11, Bayan Muna member Cris Frivaldo was shot dead by gunmen in Irosin. He was the younger brother of Irosin municipal councilor Max Frivaldo, also a Bayan Muna member, who was killed inside his house earlier this year. Last December 12, human rights lawyer Gil Gojol, who was also a former Sorsogon provincial board member, was shot dead by two motorcycle-riding gunmen after he had just attended a court hearing. His driver, Danilo France, also died in the attack. Gojol was also a lawyer of Sotero Llamas, a consultant of the rebel National Democratic Front (NDF), who himself was slain last May. -GMANews.TV