The brother and nephew of Moises Padilla Vice Mayor Ella Garcia-Yulo were killed in an ambush on the campaign trail in Barangay Inolingan Moises Padilla at about 10 a.m. yesterday.
Mark Garcia, former ABC president and councilor of the town, brother of Garcia-Yulo, and their 28-year-old nephew, incumbent councilor Michael Garcia, died on the spot when gunmen peppered them with bullets.
Initial investigations and witnesses said the convoy of Vice Mayor Garcia-Yulo was on a rough road in Rosbel when ambushed by an undetermined number of armed men.
The advance motorcycle group of VM Garcia-Yulo reportedly saw some men lying low on the shrubs and signaled the convoy to withdraw.
However, the suspects reportedly opended fire on the first vehicle being driven by Michael, with Mark sitting on the front passenger seat.
Both died on the spot from multiple gunshot wounds.
The vice mayor was able to get out through the back seat and sought refuge with her supporters in the convoy. She was later rescued from the area by Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. , former congressman Jeffrey Ferrer and former police Col. Cezar Mancao.
P1-M REWARD.
In a press conference also yesterday, Marañon and Ferrer said they will be putting up a P1 million reward for information that could lead to the arrest of the mastermind of the crime.
Marañon also called on President Rodrigo Duterte to help speed up the resolution of the crime.
Vice Mayor Garcia-Yulo on her part named her opponent, her uncle incumbent Mayor Magsie Peña to be allegedly behind the killing.
Ferrer, on his part urged Peña to answer the vice mayor’s accusation.
SUSPECTS.
Marañon, Ferrer and Garcia-Yulo called on the people of the former Magallon town to unite and condemn the dastardly act.
“This has to stop,” Ferrer said.
NDB, as of press time last night was informed by authorities that several persons allegedly present in the ambush site according to witnesses “were invited” by the local police for questioning, including certain local candidates.
Some residential compounds “were also checked” by authorities as part of their hot pursuit operations against the still unidentified gunmen, while investigations are still on.* (news and photo by NDB)