VICTORIA, Oriental Mindoro — A barangay chairman and his relative escaped unharmed after two suspects allegedly opened fire on them in Barangay San Narciso, Victoria, Oriental Mindoro, on Tuesday morning.
Victoria Municipal Police Station chief PMaj. Brandy Roldan said the shooting happened at about 9:20 a.m. when the two suspects approached the victims, allegedly posing as buyers of their pigs.
The victims were not injured and managed to run away after the suspects' first shot reportedly misfired, Roldan said.
The suspects fled on foot. One of them, a 27-year-old construction worker and resident of Barangay Guinobatan in Calapan City, was arrested shortly afterward.
Operatives from the 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company used a drone to track down and arrest the second suspect in the middle of a rice field.
The second suspect, 39, is also a construction worker and a resident of Lanao del Sur, police said.
Police recovered a .45-caliber pistol, a .32-caliber revolver and ammunition from the suspects.
Roldan said the barangay chairman was allegedly the intended target and that revenge was believed to be the motive. The chairman had allegedly caused an individual to be jailed in the course of performing his duties, he said.
During interrogation, the suspects reportedly admitted that they were paid P50,000 to kill the barangay chairman.
The two suspects face two counts of attempted murder and charges of illegal possession of firearms.