ILOILO CITY – Vice Mayor Julio M. Estolloso of Ibajay town in Aklan province was shot dead by a Sangguniang Bayan (SB) member inside the SB office on Friday morning, August 8.
The incident occurred around 9:15 a.m. after the 43-year-old SB Member Mihrel Senatin entered the SB office and requested copies of local ordinances he authored.
Senatin later approached Estolloso, uttering “Vice, ano sala ko sa imo? (Vice, what wrong have I done to you?)” before drawing his Glock 17 pistol and shooting the vice mayor six or seven times.
The 50-year-old vice mayor succumbed to multiple bullet wounds primarily on the left side of his chest.
He was taken to the Ibajay District Hospital where he died an hour after.
Senatin fled onboard his motorcycle and went straight home where he was arrested by responding police officers.
The suspect’s motive remains unclear as of posting time.
Ibajay police chief Major Rajiv Salbino discounted politics as motive.
“It is hard to say it is politics. They are political allies and they came from the same political party,” he said.
“They have no prior grudge. That’s why the staff is shocked. Until now, we cannot even talk to them properly,” Salbino added.
Police are preparing murder charges against Senatin.
The vice mayor was serving his second term while Senatin is on his third term. (Tara Yap)
