Ilocos Norte town councilor, 2 others killed in ambush

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — A village chairman, sitting as ex-officio member of the San Nicolas town council in Ilocos Norte, his bodyguard and driver were killed in a pre-dawn ambush along the national highway in Barangay 22 San Guillermo yesterday.

Killed in the dawn attack was councilor Mark Adrian Barba, also the chairman of Barangay 6 San Juan Bautista, his bodyguard Raffy Ulep and driver Lord Wyne Gian Menor.

According to initial police investigation, the three were onboard a car when several armed men attacked them at 2:45 a.m. yesterday.

Barba’s driver, police said, lost control of the vehicle and rammed an SUV parked in front of a hotel.

Policemen rushed the three to a hospital but Barba and Ulep were declared dead on arrival. Menor died while undergoing treatment from bullet wounds.

Investigators are coordinating with commercial establishments to obtain footage from surveillance cameras, which could provide leads on the identities of the assailants.

 Barba’s killing occurred more than a month after the killing of Barangay 5 San Silvestre chairman Francisco Bagay Jr., also in San Nicolas town.