By JEL SANTOS
The slain chairman of Barangay 106 in Caloocan City had been labeled as a “drug protector” in the drug watch list of President Duterte, Senior Superintendent Chito Bersaluna, city police chief, disclosed yesterday.
On Wednesday afternoon, Barangay 106 Chairman Francisco Guevarra, 53, was gunned down by two unidentified motorcycle-riding gunmen while on his way home on Del Pilar Street.
Senior Supt. Chito Bersaluna, Caloocan police chief, said that Guevarra was “a high value target (HVT) 1 in the watch list of Pres. Duterte.”
Bersaluna, in his earlier statements, said that the chairman was not in the drug watch list. However, yesterday, he said that they learned that he was in Pres. Duterte’s watch list.
“He was listed as a drug protector in their area. We just learned this,” Bersaluna said.
Bersaluna said that in May, Guevarra approached him to ask if he could help him clear his name.
“In May, he asked for my help. The barangay chairman said that he wants his name to be cleared, so I told him to provide necessary papers,” Bersaluna said.
The police chief here said they are also looking into politics and land feud as the reason behind Guevarra’s death.
“I was told that the victim was also involved in a land feud. As such, we are also eyeing politics. As of now, we are looking into many angles,” he said.
A task force, according to Bersaluna, was recently formed to thoroughly probe the killing of the village chairman.