Guihulngan City mayor's bodyguard shot dead

DUMAGUETE CITY — A bodyguard of Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental Mayor Guido Reyes was shot dead on Tuesday morning by suspected communist rebels.

Guihulngan City Police have identified the victim as 63-year-old Policarpio Bulado, a resident of Barangay Bulado of the same city, who was an erstwhile job order employee at the Guihulngan City Hall and worked as a security aide for Mayor Reyes.

Initial police investigation showed that Bulado was feeding his chickens at an abandoned slaughterhouse at around 9:35 Tuesday morning when he was ambushed.

Bulado suffered not less than ten gunshot wounds from the incident including a shot to the head, Baquiran said, adding that more than ten empty bullets from .45 caliber and 9mm pistols were recovered from the crime scene.

As of this writing, police are still facing a blank wall as to the identities of the suspectsas there were no witnesses to the crime.

Baquiran, however, said that they believe New People’s Army (NPA) rebels were the perpetrators.

This was because bystanders who happened to pass by the abandoned slaughterhouse heard shouts of “Mabuhay ang NPA” after hearing several gunshots, the police chief said.

He added that Bulado’s son is currently an active member of the Philippine Army, which could be the angle that communist rebels may be behind his killing. Baquiran added that it had nothing to do with his work as a bodyguard for Mayor Reyes.

This marks the third shooting incident in Guihulngan City within a month, and the second to involve a government employee who directly works for a local chief executive.

Last July 4, yet unidentified motorcycle-riding suspects also shot dead Leonidas Dausan, the driver of Guihulngan City Vice Mayor Ernesto Reyes, while he was a filling up at a gasoline station. Police are looking into the possibility that a love triangle gone wrong may have been the motive in the killing.

Just last week, Larry de Gracia, a retired master sergeant for the Philippine Army’s 79th Infantry Battalion and later manager of Bulado Port, was also shot dead by communist rebels. The NPA’s Leonardo Panaligan Command in central Negros has since claimed responsibility for the crime.

Despite the series of killings in his city that have even caused concern online, Baquiran said the police is also intensifying its efforts to maintain peace and order in Guihulngan.

“Nakikipag-coordinate na rin tayo with other government and non-government organizations para (maibsan ang kriminalidad) sa Guihulngan City,” he said in a phone interview. — BAP, GMA News