Revenge may have motivated the fatal shooting of four barangay officials during a flag ceremony in Dasmariñas City, Cavite, according to the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Calabarzon.
Authorities identified the gunman as a former barangay peacekeeper who opened fire during the weekly flag-raising ceremony at the Barangay Hall of Salitran III on Monday. The shooting killed the barangay captain and two kagawads, and left a Sangguniang Kabataan secretary critically injured.
According to Captain Michelle Bastawang, public information office for the Cavite Police Provincial Office, the suspect had reportedly been removed from duty earlier this year due to health issues and was no longer receiving his salary.
Bastawang said the suspect was still getting paid in February despite his illness, identified as diabetes. But by May, his salary was withheld. She said he was deemed unfit to work as a guard.
Dasmariñas Police Chief Lt. Col. Regino Oñate said the suspect may have been targeting the barangay treasurer, based on witness accounts.
Oñate, citing witness accounts, said the suspect was reportedly shouting and searching for someone — possibly the treasurer — before fleeing on foot.
Video footage of the incident showed the suspect calmly walking into the flag ceremony and shooting the barangay captain first, then pursuing two kagawads, one of whom he shot inside the barangay hall. He also shot the SK secretary during the rampage.
The suspect later ran home and died by suicide before police could arrest him. Authorities recovered two .45-caliber magazines from the scene, but the firearm remains missing.
PNP-Calabarzon regional Director Brig. Gen. Paul Kenneth Lucas condemned the attack and ordered a full investigation.
“We strongly condemn the heinous shooting incident. We have immediately directed our investigators to conduct a thorough investigation to determine the real motive behind this crime, and to provide justice to the deceased and injured victims,” he said.
