By JEL SANTOS
A barangay chairman, who has helped reform drug addicts in his area, was gunned down Monday night inside a billiards hall owned by his son in Mandaluyong City.
Senior Supt. Juaqin Alva, Mandaluyong police chief, identified the victim as Godofredo “Goody” Tolentino, the 63-year-old head of Barangay Poblacion. He was also the vice-president of the city’s association of barangay captains.
According to police reports, the suspect, wearing denim pants, black jacket and a cap, walked casually behind Tolentino and shot him thrice on the head.
There were about 15 people inside the hall on Reyes Street when the gunman struck at around 6 p.m. Some rushed out after the shooting while others ducked behind the tables.
The gunman pointed his gun at the witnesses before joining his accomplice aboard a motorcycle outside.
The suspects fled toward Aglipay Street, according to investigators.
As seen on closed circuit television (CCTV), the gunman fired shots at the ground while making his escape.
Tolentino was declared dead on arrival at the Mandaluyong Medical Center. His son was not at the hall at the time of the incident.
Alva said the murder could be attributed to politics “not illegal drugs.”
“He was very active in our anti-illegal drugs drive. No, he is not on any drug watch-list,” Alva said.
Mercedita Tolentino, 62, wife of the barangay captain, said that her husband believes that drug personalities can change. She said her husband helped many drug personalities in their village to fight drug addiction.
“My husband believes that drug personalities can change that was why he hired some of them. He hates illegal drugs, but he knows that the people hooked to it are just victims,” she said in Filipino as her eyes turned red.
“He has helped many people in our village.”
Gloria Bangaysiso, a barangay employee, said the slain chairman has employed many former drug personalities in their village to give them a chance to live a drug–free life.
“Sir Godofredo wants to give drug personalities a chance for he believes that they can change. He gets mad whenever he learns that one of his constituents involved in drugs were killed by masked men,” she said.
Police Officer 3 Leonard Almerol, Poblacion’s police team captain, said that there are around 120 drug personalities who surrendered in Barangay Poblacion.
Days before Godofredo’s death, “suspicious-looking” men were spotted near his house by a barangay employee.
Maria Victoria Pacheco, a barangay street sweeper, said on Friday she saw a white car without a plate number near the house of their chairman, saying two men were aboard the car.
On Saturday, the men were seen again by the street sweeper. The men, at that time, were in a motorcycle.
Alvas said that Task Force “Goody” was formed to probe the death of the chairman.
The police chief said that an artist sketch of the gunman will be released today, saying that the description came from one of the players inside the billiards hall.
The chairman’s remains is at the second floor of the San Felipe Neri Parish’s funeral chapel.