Mayor hurt, youth leader killed in Laguna ambush

LAGUNA, Philippines (UPDATED) – Gunmen ambushed Calauan Mayor Buenafrido Berris in Barangay Imok late Sunday afternoon, March 27, wounding the reelectionist mayor and killing two of his companions, local authorities said.

Emmanuel Peña, a University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) alumnus who is running for councilor under the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA), and Leonardo Taningco, a driver, died on the scene after sustaining gunshot wounds, according to the Laguna Police Provincial Office.

The mayor, an independent candidate, was rushed to the San Pablo City Medical Center.

"Konsehal siya [Peña] ng barangay, tapos running for konsehal ng bayan. Active siya sa mga activities ng bayan... Isa siyang teacher sa PUP [Polytechnic University of the Philippines] Calauan," said Kevin Amante, whose house is right across the area where the shooting took place.

(Peña was a barangay councilor who was running for municipal councilor. He actively participated in many town events. He was a teacher at PUP Calauan.)

Amante said his neighbors heard gunshots at around 5 pm, Sunday, while the candidates were distributing food after a campaign sortie. 

In his last Facebook post, Peña shared his campaign video with the message, "Happy Easter everyone!"

{source}<div id="fb-root"></div><script>(function(d, s, id) {  var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];  if (d.getElementById(id)) return;  js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;  js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_GB/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3";  fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script><div class="fb-video" data-allowfullscreen="1" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/EmmanPena2016/videos/1094945180536583/"><div class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/EmmanPena2016/videos/1094945180536583/"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/EmmanPena2016/videos/1094945180536583/">Sa Konseho ng Bayan ng Piña, Dapat May Peña! by Echo Marfori</a><p>Sa muling pagkabuhay ni Kristo, sumisilay sa atin ang isang malinaw na mensahe ng PAG-IBIG. Pag-ibig ang dahilan kung bakit tayo nabuhay, naligtas sa kasalanan, at patuloy na nabubuhay. Pag-ibig din ang dahilan kung bakit mas pinipili nating mabuhay, ngumiti sa kabila ng mga unos, at bumangon sa lahat ng pagkadapa. Pag-ibig pa din ang magdadala sa atin sa mas madami pang magagandang kabanata ng ating buhay. Dalangin kong sa lahat ng oras at sa lahat ng bagay, pag-ibig pa din ang mamayani sa puso ng bawat isa sa atin. Humugot tayo ng pag-asa sa mensahe ng pag-ibig na dulot ng muling pagkabuhay ni Kristo!</p>Posted by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/EmmanPena2016/">Emman Peña</a> on Saturday, 26 March 2016</blockquote></div></div>{/source}

Peña earlier signed a peace covenant for a "secure and fair election" in Calauan.

{source}<div id="fb-root"></div><script>(function(d, s, id) {  var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];  if (d.getElementById(id)) return;  js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;  js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_GB/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3";  fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/EmmanPena2016/posts/1062479013783200" data-width="500"><div class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/EmmanPena2016/posts/1062479013783200"><p>Hindi ito madali, oo. Pero seryoso po tayo sa ating mithiing makapaglingkod sa bayan. Buong puso ko pong iniaalay ang...</p>Posted by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/EmmanPena2016/">Emman Peña</a> on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/EmmanPena2016/posts/1062479013783200">Wednesday, 3 February 2016</a></blockquote></div></div>{/source}

In a Facebook post, Anna Mae Yu Lamentillo said Peña would have "given Calauan a public servant."

{source}

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The ambush took place just on the second day of campaigning for local candidates in the May polls.– with reports from Movers James Andrew Malihan, Karla Sambajon, and Aera Ciar / Rappler.com

Abigail Abigan is Rappler's lead Mover in Laguna and Quezon.