Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III has strongly denounced the twin killings of village officials in Mindanao in what he described as “incidents that are apparently politically motivated, occurring as they are very close to the May 13 elections.”
The Mindanao-born lawmaker was reacting to separate fatal shooting incidents of two local barangay heads from the Zamboanga Peninsula over the weekend.
Barangay Chief Edgardo Podpod Viñas of Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte was shot close to noon last Saturday by a motorcycle-riding gunman.
Later on the same day, Ibrahim Ungad, chairman of Barangay New Labangan in Zamboanga del Sur, was shot as he was going out of his house.
Two men were reported to have approached Ungad and killed him with a shotgun. The assailants fled using a motorcycle.
“We should all be scandalized and outraged by these brazen acts of violence and intimidation. The targets are clearly local officials. There’s a sad and troubling pattern here,” the senator said.
Pimentel, who is up for reelection, expressed sympathies to the families of the victims of these “senseless killings,” saying that after years in public service, he still cannot fathom why people resort to violence, especially in local politics.
“No one needs to mourn loved ones who are merely doing their jobs for their constituents,” he said.
The legislator immediately called the attention of the Philippine National Police.
“Our law enforcement authorities should be more vigilant and alert. The maintenance and preservation of peace and security is important during this crucial election period,” Pimentel said.