Gunmen killed noted anti-communist leader in Catbalogan

By ELI C. DALUMPINES (PIA 8)
January 18, 2007

CATBALOGAN, Samar  –  A noted anti-Communist leader fell down before an assassin’s bullet early last night at newly-renovated Capitol Park here at Samar’s capital.

Augusto S. Daclitan, 55 years old and a resident of Brgy. Canlapwas, this town, died on the spot after two unidentified suspects shot him in the head and at the back of his body at about 6:30 p.m. last night (January 17).

Police report said Daclitan allegedly received calls from someone who wanted to meet him at the Capitol Park for some official business which prompted him to go to meet the man.

But when he was at the park one of the suspects immediately shot him in the head which caused him to fall after which a second shot was aimed at the back of his body that caused his spontaneous death.

The two unidentified suspects fled to opposite directions right after the incident to elude arrest but witnesses said the gun used by the assailants was handed to a nearby bystander. The police recovered two empty shells of cal. 45 pistol at the crime scene.

Daclitan is the Operations Officer of the anti-Communist group Alliance for Nationalism and Democracy (ANAD) that has been instrumental in assisting the government in its anti-insurgency campaign in the province.

Lately, he successfully convinced the leaders of the more than 10 youth gangs that had been sowing violence here at the capital town and unite them into a single youth group, that is now called the United Youth of Catbalogan, with the help of the local police.

Catbalogan Police Chief PInsp. Carlos G. Vencio, in an interview, claimed Daclitan may have been a victim of the Communist New People’s Army (NPA) that has reportedly fielded two sparrow teams here at the capital town since December of last year to assassinate anti-revolutionaries.