Village councilor shot dead in Isabela City

ZAMBOANGA CITY: A lone gunman shot dead a village councilor in the seaside city of Isabela in the province of Basilan in southern Philippines.

Police said the weekend attack killed the 45-year-old Kennedy Indal Buhali along Strong Boulevard in the village called Port Area.

Buhali, a council member in the village of Tampalan in Malamawi Island, was standing outside a roadside eatery owned by his cousin when the gunman shot him several times from behind, according to Maj. Shellamie Chang, regional police spokeswoman.

“Initial investigation disclosed that prior to the incident, the victim was outside a small eatery of his cousin located at Strong Boulevard when an unidentified suspect shot the victim several times, hitting his back that resulted in his untimely death,” Chang said without elaborating further .

She said police investigators recovered four pieces of cartridges from a .45-caliber pistol from the scene.

“Police are investigating the killing to determine the motive and for the identity and arrest of the suspect,” she said.

Buhali’s family did not release any statement.

Gun attacks are not uncommon in Basilan, one of five provinces under the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, due to the presence of hired killers and rebel groups.