Building contractor gunned down in Zamboanga City

ZAMBOANGA CITY – A building contractor was killed late Tuesday despite a strict gun ban being implemented by authorities in this southern Philippine city. Engineer Joselito Yanga, also the vice president of the local contractors called “Los Contratista", was heading home on a motorcycle late Tuesday when he was shot in the head in the village of Guiwan. Police said they were still investigating the incident. "Engineer Yanga was a good man and a happy person and we were shocked to learn that he was shot and killed," said Engineer Raymon Go, a local building contractor. At least 15 gun attacks have been recorded here in this city since early January when the police and military started implementing the nationwide gun ban as ordered by the Commission on Elections. Only duty policemen and soldiers and members of law enforcement agencies are authorized to bear arms provided they have permits from the Comelec exempting them from the gun ban. But the order also put at risk many local gun owners who are receiving death threats. Hired killers are actively operating in this city and had been blamed for many murders the past years. - Al Jacinto/RSJ, GMANews.TV