Village chief in Zamboanga del Sur critically injured in shooting

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur – A village chief was critically wounded in a shooting incident on Saturday in the Zamboanga Peninsula region, according to police reports.

Jerry Olaier, the village chief of Barangay Poblacion in Guipos town, Zamboanga del Sur, was shot by two individuals on a motorcycle around 11:55 a.m.

Olaier was immediately transported to a hospital in Pagadian City, where he remains in critical condition.

Guipos Mayor Vicente Cajeta said that Olaier and his companions were waiting by the roadside to catch a passenger vehicle when the assailants attacked.

Capt. Roger Apdua, the Guipos police chief, said that Olaier’s companions engaged with the gunmen, resulting in the arrest of one assailant and the death of the other.

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READ: Village chief shot dead in Zamboanga del Sur

Apdua said the gunman was killed with his own firearm, but it is still unclear who fired the fatal shot.

He said they are still investigating the details of the incident.

The Inquirer has learned that Olaier is being considered as a candidate for the presidency of the Liga ng mga Barangay.