Barangay chairman shot dead

CEBU CITY – The police will dig deeper into the killing of Barangay Ermita Chairman Felicisimo Rupinta by gunmen on motorcycles Thursday night in Liloan town, Cebu.

Rupinta was in the news last October after he began posting signs on houses in his barangay identifying them as “drug-free.”

In an interview over radio dyAB Friday, Supt. Melbert Esguerra, Liloan police chief, said there are two versions of the killing, one from witnesses and the other from Rupinta’s companion in the car, Jocelyn Mendoza.

He said more witnesses are needed to piece together what really happened.

Police are checking if establishments or houses near the crime scene have CCTV (closedcircuit television) that could have recorded the incident.

Esguerra said the Liloan police station, the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas and the Cebu City Police Intelligence Division are working together on the Rupinta case.

The barangay head’s death was first confirmed by Cebu City Councilor Dave Tumulak in a Facebook post on the night of November 23.

Tumulak, who is deputy mayor for police matters, said Rupinta was driving his car, an Isuzu D-Max pickup when gunmen riding separate motorcycles blocked the car’s path and started firing at the occupants.

Witnesses said there were about four gunmen involved.

Mendoza, who was seated next to Rupinta, said she only saw two gunmen.

The attack happened near Sitio Simborio, Barangay Tayud, Liloan.

City Councilor Joel Garganera, in a separate interview, said Rupinta and Mendoza were on their way home to Eastland Subdivision in Barangay San Vicente, Liloan, from the Ermita Barangay Hall in Cebu City.

Cebu City is 23 kilometers from Liloan.