Farmer-leader shot dead in Isabela

SAN MATEO, Isabela – A 61-year-old militant farmer-leader was shot dead in remote San Roque village in this town early morning of Wednesday. The victim was identified as Bonifacio Labasan, a purok (village zone) leader in Barangay Bagong Sikat in San Mateo town in Isabela, and an active barangay coordinator of the militant farmers’ group Danggayan Dagiti Mannalon iti Cagayan Valley (Union of Peasants in Cagayan Valley).

Isabela police spokesperson Supt. Roberto Bucad said Labasan died on the spot after sustaining bullet wounds on his head and abdomen, while his daughter Lanie Labasan-Miguel, who was with him, survived the attack. According to Bucad, Labasan and his daughter were on board a Honda Wave motorcycle on their way to the market past 7 a.m. on Wednesday when the assailants riding tandem on a motorcycle fired a .45-caliber gun at them. Labasan-Miguel said she was unable to see the faces of the attackers, although she noticed their motorcycle was a Kawasaki Bajaj with no plate number. The police have yet to identify the killers and to establish a motive for the killing as no witnesses have so far surfaced.—Joel Nueva/JMA/JV, GMA News