Activist murdered in Leyte
Vicente Labro, Philippine Daily Inquirer
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TACLOBAN CITY - Another activist was killed by two motorcycle-riding men early Thursday evening in this city, a police official said Friday.
Pacquito "Pax" Diaz, chairman for Eastern Visayas of the Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (Courage), was shot at close range at around 6 p.m. near his house on Esperas Street, Magallanes district, Barangay (village) 54, said Superintendent Anacleto Limbo, Tacloban police chief.
Limbo said Diaz was waiting for a friend when felled by two bullets from a caliber .45 pistol. The unidentified gunman, who was riding behind the motorcycle's driver, got off the bike and fired at the victim, hitting him on the lower left eye and lower left chest.
The assailants, who were wearing helmets and were riding a single DT Yamaha motorcycle, fled towards the downtown area, witnesses said.
Diaz was immediately brought to the nearby Bethany Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival, Limbo said.
Limbo said a brother of Diaz had told him that the victim had been "wanted" for over a year because of his involvement in Courage and other causes. He did not elaborate.
Limbo said his men and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group would be working together in investigating the case. So far, they do not have a lead, he added.
Leftist groups charge that more than a hundred of their members have been murdered since Arroyo took office in 2001. The government has said that some of the killings may be part of an internal purge by communist insurgents.
Last Sunday, armed men burned down a northern Philippines radio station that had been identified with leftist groups.
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