Manila: A mayor of a northern Philippines municipality and two of his companions died in an evening ambush in the Bangar, La Union, police said on Tuesday.
Mayor Alexander Boquing of Sudipen, La Union was travelling along the highway in the village of Cadapli, Bangar, along with three other people when several armed men fired at their vehicle at around 6.40pm on Monday.
Aside from the 50-year-old mayor, those killed were his bodyguard identified as police officer Rolando Juanbe as well as Boni Depdepen. Vice-Mayor Wendy Joy Boquing, who was also inside the same vehicle, survived but suffered gunshot wounds in different parts of her body. She is now being treated at a hospital in La Union.
Philippine National Police Spokesman, Chief Superintendent Benigno Durana Jr, said that the victims had just came from a wake in Bangar when the ambush took place.
“We are gathering witness accounts and evidence that could help determine who could be behind the ambush,” he said adding that initial probe hints that the hit was a job carried out by hired killers.
“All possible angles are being investigated into the Monday evening ambush,” he said in a press briefing on Tuesday adding that the PNP has formed a task force to look into the incident
Durana said such killings victimising politicians usually occur months in the run up to the elections. Filipinos will take to the polls in May 2019 for the midterm elections and among the elected poses up for grabs are those of the mayor and vice mayor.
“If we look closely at statistics, there is always a rise in killings in the run up to the elections,” he said.
There had been a number of killings targeting mayors and vice mayors in recent months.
Since the start of the year, eight mayors had been assassinated and six vice mayors.
“We are able to so far solve the cases of the killing of a mayor in Nueva Ecija and a vice mayor in Cavite,” he said.
National Police Director General Oscar Albayalde said the PNP will leave no stone unturned in giving justice to the families of the victims.
“While we are saddened by this unfortunate incident, we would like to assure the families of the victims that the PNP are committed in getting into the bottom of this case and have already tasked our special investigation task group on the ground to conduct a thorough investigation,” he said.
