BAGUIO, Philippines – A mayor in Cagayan province was shot dead in the province on Wednesday night, April 23, Cagayan Valley regional police office confirmed.

In a report, police said Rizal Mayor Joel Ruma was killed in Barangay Illuru Sur around 9:30 pm. His and companion, Merson Abiguebel, was hurt.

Ruma was rushed to the Tuao District Hospital where he was declared dead on arrival.

The deadly gun attack came barely three weeks before the midterm elections.

The regional police said the assailants remain unidentified as of this posting.

Authorities have launched pursuit operations to arrest suspects, while checkpoints were set up in nearby towns to limit the assailants’ movements.

Meanwhile, in the Cordillera Administrative Region, three people were shot dead by still unidentified gunmen in Tabuk City, Kalinga, on Thursday morning, April 24.

Those killed were Santos Calsiyao, Tokar Calsiyao, and Leo Palat Calsiyao, all residents of Basao Dilag in Tabuk.

Police found them sprawled lifeless beside a road in Purok, Barangay San Julian, alongside two M16 Armalite rifles and a shotgun. Police said the group had an encounter with gunmen at around 7 am.

Authorities said they were not discounting a possible escalation into a tribal war, as the shooting occurred just a few meters from the house of a leader of a prominent tribe in Kalinga. – Rappler.com

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