BACOLOD City – A village councilman was shot to death by unidentified armed men in Barangay 26.
Romeo Canlas, 33, of Barangay 2 and his friends were having a drinking session when the suspects arrived at around 9:25 p.m. on Saturday and fired at the village official at close range.
Canlas sustained eight gunshots wounds on the body, according to Lieutenant Colonel Ariel Pico, spokesperson of the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO).
Canlas was rushed to the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Regional Hospital in this city where the attending physician declared him dead on arrival.
Pico said the gunmen who were all wearing face masks fled onboard a white van after the incident.
The BCPO spokesperson disclosed that Canlas was included in the drug watchlist of Police Station 2 in 2018. Pico said he even visited Canlas’ residence on that year to confirm the latter’s alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade.
“Canlas denied all the allegations,” Pico said, adding that police investigators are considering a drug-related angle, but they would not automatically conclude that this was the reason behind the killing.
Pico also said that they have yet to identify the suspects and the motive in the incident./PN
