Anti-mining activist shot dead in Compostela

MANILA, Philippines — An anti-mining activist was shot dead Tuesday evening by still unidentified perpetrators in New Bataan, Compostela Valley. The victim was identified as Fernando "Dodong" Bestudio Sarmiento, 39, secretary general of Pinalipdan-southern Mindanao Region. A check with the New Bataan police revealed that he was shot at close range at about 7 p.m. inside his beauty parlor in Purok 1 baranggay Poblacion of New Bataan. Police said that two unidentified gunmen riding in tandem on Honda XR motorcycle entered the salon and then pumped four bullets into the victim. The victim died instantly, police said. Recovered from the scene were three empty shells of .45 caliber pistol and a slug from a still undetermined firearm. The cellular phone of Sarmiento was also recovered from the scene and placed under the custody of the police. Police said they were checking messages on the phone. A cursory check on the Web revealed that a certain Fernando "Dodong" Bestudio was one of the seven “communist terrorists" who “voluntarily surrendered" to the Army's 28th Infantry Battalion troops in New Bataan, Compostela Valley. The Army statement was dated July 21, 2008. It was not clear if he was the same "Dodong" who was killed Tuesday night.- Aie Balagtas See, GMANews.TV