By CYRUS M. GARDE and EUGENE ADIONG
BACOLOD City — A former Sangguniang Bayan (SB) member in Ilog had been shot to death by a still unidentified assailant inside a pub in Brgy. Dancalan in the town on Tuesday evening.
Edmund Turk Vail, 48, succumbed to six gunshot wounds in the head and the body. He was rushed to a hospital in Kabankalan City but was declared dead on arrival.
Vail was having a drinking spree with engineers Cero Santiago and Elmo Millendres when attacked.
A witness claimed that the former SB member had been shot in close range.
Vail had been a three-term municipal councilor. He was also the owner of Dancalan Private Academy, general manager of Ilog Water District and president of the Magdalo party-list’s Ilog Chapter.
The gunman disembarked from a motorcycle, entered the pub owned by Rene Genito and casually approached Vail, a barangay kagawad who witnessed the incident said.
The witness said the gunman greeted Vail and his friends before peppering the former SB member with bullets.
According to the witness, the gunman casually walked outside toward the motorcycle where his cohort was waiting. The suspects sped away toward Kabankalan.
A stray bullet hit Santiago on the right side of his body. Millendres was unhurt.
Police recovered from the crime scene six empty shells of a .45-caliber pistol.
Authorities were eyeing three angles in the crime: family feud, politics and love.
Senior Insp. Renante Salgado, Ilog police chief, said they were yet to determine the motive.
Vail is married and has two children. His wife currently works abroad.
He is friendly and generous, according to Dancalan Barangay Kagawad Luisito Gatunggay.
In the barangay election last year, Vail ran against but lost to incumbent Barangay Captain Benigno Gequillana, a former mayor.
Gequillana said Vail was helping some residents create a cooperative. He also revealed the victim had a misunderstanding with his uncle regarding their family properties.
A source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Panay News yesterday that Vail had many enemies, and has recently met with former SB members and barangay leaders in preparation for a political bid in 2016.
Vice Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary Alejano urged the authorities to immediately investigate the crime.
Lacson expressed concern over the proliferation of crimes perpetrated by riding-in-tandem suspects. “We should find a solution to this,” he said. “It is happening not only in Manila but also [in the province].”
Alejano, a Negrense, said he personally knew Vail. He described the victim as a hardworking Magdalo chapter president.
“I was shocked. We were in constant contact,” Alejano said. He said Vail has not mentioned any threat to his life. He refused to speculate on the motive, saying he is leaving it for the investigators to determine.
He called on the police to decisively act on the increasing number of extrajudicial killings. “Criminality should not be tolerated,” he stressed.
Alejano said he asked Magdalo party-list members in the province to help in the investigation. Justice should be given to Alejano and his family, he said./PN
