CAVITE, Philippines — The vice mayor of Trece Martires City in this province was killed in an ambush yesterday, the third local official slain this week.
Vice Mayor Alex Lubigan, 44, was in a black Toyota Hilux driven by his security escort Romulo Guilemer, 50, on their way home when an unidentified gunman in a Mitsubishi Montero opened fire along the Trece Martires-Indang road in Barangay Luciano at around 3 p.m., according to a report of the Calabarzon police.
Lubigan suffered multiple gunshot wounds and died at the scene. Guilemer died while being treated at the General Emilio Aguinaldo Memorial Hospital.
A companion of the victims identified as Romeo Edrinal, 56, was wounded and brought to an undisclosed hospital for treatment.
Chief Superintendent Edward Carranza, Calabarzon police director, said he ordered his men to look into all possible motives for the killing.
”We are looking at various angles. One of those I have asked probers to look into is politics,” Carranza said.
Thorough probe
Malacañang condemned the killing and called on the Philippine National Police to conduct a thorough investigation.
“Our condolences go out to the grieving family and friends of Vice Mayor Lubigan,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque said in a statement.
“We must band together and put an end to worrisome incidents of violence involving local politicians,” Roque added.
The incident followed the killing of Mayor Antonio Halili of Tanauan, Batangas by an alleged sniper during a flag ceremony on Monday.
On Tuesday, Mayor Ferdinand Bote of Nueva Ecija was shot dead by motorcycle-riding assailants.
Duterte had accused Halili, who had initiated the so-called walk of shame for suspected drug dealers by parading them through the streets, of using the anti-drug campaign as a cover for the mayor’s illegal activities.
Halili’s family had denied the allegations.
Ten mayors and five vice mayors have been killed since President Duterte took office in 2016.
The League of Municipalities of the Philippines sought a meeting with President Duterte to air its concerns over the killings.
‘All suspects’
Meanwhile, Angeline Halili, daughter of the slain Tanauan mayor, said they consider all critics of her father as suspects.
“Everyone’s a suspect... those who had been opposing my father, kumokontra at naninira sa father ko, they’re all suspects,” Angeline told reporters during the mayor’s wake on Thursday night.
Angeline also reiterated her appeal to Duterte to give justice to her father.
Halili is set to be buried today at the Loyola Memorial Park in Tanauan. – With Christina Mendez