Bocap slain in Ilocos town

STA. MARIA, Ilocos Sur– A village official here was killed after assassins ambushed him minutes before midnight on April 4.

Jovencio Degracia, captain of Barangay Silag in Sta. Maria town immediately died after armed men waylaid him along the highway in Poblacion Sur at around 11:15 p.m. on Easter Sunday.

Ilocos Sur police director Senior Supt. Eduardo Dupale said the killing was remotely political in nature.

Instead, “the motive is revenge because the victim was involved in shooting incidents in the town in the past.”

Dupale said at least 10 towns in Ilocos Sur are being watched for election-related violence taking cues from the incidents in 2004 and 2007 polls. Ilocos Sur has 27 towns.

Degracia is perhaps the first victim of violence in the province after the local campaign started on Feb. 26.