Masbate cops eye reinforcement in ‘hot spot’ after ambush

The police in Masbate province are considering beefing up their forces in one of the towns there, following an ambush that killed a councilor and four others last weekend. New Masbate provincial police chief, Senior Superintendent Thomas Semeniano said the added personnel will also be a deterrent of sorts in the October barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan polls. "Considering that yung Masbate is an island province, masasabi ko na dapat lang madagdagan ang tropa natin dito sa lugar na ito. Bago matuloy ang barangay election sa October, medyo mahirap kung kulang ang tropa sa area (Considering Masbate is an island province, I think we should assign more troops there. And it will be difficult to have a lack of personnel in time for the barangay election in October)," Semeniano said in an interview on dzRH radio. He said they are still following up leads on the identity and motive of the armed men who staged last weekend’s ambush that killed five people in San Pascual town. (See: Town councilor, 4 others killed in Masbate ambush) Among those killed in the Saturday afternoon attack were San Pascual town councilor Wenceslao Sinagpulo Jr., his driver and three other companions. Masbate had gained notoriety for violence involving political clans there, but police have yet to establish if Saturday’s incident was politically motivated. — RSJ, GMANews.TV