San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte Mayor Angel Miguel Hernando on Monday announced a PHP300,000 reward to anyone who could help identify the gunman and mastermind in the killing of a village chief from the said town on Sept. 20.
First-term village chief Francisco “Jojo” Bagay Jr. of Barangay 5 San Silvestre was seated in front of his garage when an unidentified assailant shot him several times at 6:25 p.m. using a .45 caliber pistol. The suspect immediately fled on a motorcycle driven by an accomplice.
The victim was rushed to the Black Nazarene Hospital but was pronounced dead by the attending physician.
“This heinous act, perpetrated by a motorcycle riding-in-tandem, is a cowardly assault on the very pillars of our community — those who dedicate their lives to serving others,” Hernando said in a media interview.
In a press conference held in Camp Valentin S. Juan in this city, Police Colonel Frederick E. Obar, provincial director of the Ilocos Norte Police Provincial Office, confirmed that the town mayor is offering PHP300,000.
“We have identified the point of interest – who shot him, the motorcycle used, and those with whom he disagreed before the incident,” he said, noting that they have been tracking CCTV footage and results of ballistic and post-mortem examination. (Leilanie Adriano)