Solon’s personal driver shot dead in Gandara

By EMY C. BONIFACIO
October 3, 2006

GANDARA, Samar  – An ongoing coronation night for the Liga ng mga Barangays being held at Barangay Domaloong, Gandara, Samar was disrupted by a shooting incident which took place on or about 11:00 in the evening of September 28, 2006. The activity was being held at the vicinity of the municipal auditorium of Gandara in connection with the fiesta eve celebration of the said municipality, where this province’s 1st District Representative, Congressman Reynaldo Uy, was invited as guest.

According to the report gathered by this writer, police identified the victim as one Victoriano Urbano y Ortiz, 42 years old, married, a personal driver of Congressman Reynaldo Uy, and a resident of Barangay Bagacay, Calbayog City. He was shot to death, having sustained one fatal gunshot wound at the back of his head by a still unidentified person.  The assailant’s weapon which was used was .45 caliber pistol, sources disclosed.

An initial investigation conducted revealed that the victim was closely standing by, observing the activities which  was on progress at the above-mentioned time and date, together with some VIP security of the congressman and some of the policemen of the vicinity when he was shot at close range in the head by the assailant coming from an undetermined direction. The attack was unnoticed by police authorities.  It was further learned that the assailant was able to elude arrest by joining the scampering crowd and fled towards the south direction.

Meanwhile, authorities are not discrediting the possibility of political rivalries as a possible lead in the resolution of the case.  It must be recalled that Congressman Reynaldo Uy has been pioneering an anti-corruption campaign in the province by encouraging people to join the “Crusade for Samar”.  The 1st District Representative, in his latest radio and television appearances, has been very vocal in deploring and criticizing the kind of leadership our province is getting from Governor Tan. “She is the worst governor we ever had”, was Congressman Uy’s statement when made to describe Governor Tan during an interview conducted by the local media just recently.