The governor of Negros Oriental province in the central Philippines and five others have been fatally shot by unidentified gunmen in the early hours of this morning. The incident marks the newest in a sequence of assaults in opposition to local officials.
Six suspects carrying rifles and wearing military-like uniforms entered Governor Roel Degamo’s residence in Pamplona city at about 9.36am and opened fire, according to native police.
Five others had been killed within the attack, 4 of them weren’t identified when it comes to their present situation, reported Bangkok Post.
Fully refundable was distributing aid to constituents when he was attacked, in accordance with Kym Lopez, a provincial police spokesperson.
In a Facebook video, Janice Degamo, the mayor of Pamplona, conveyed her disappointment and sorrow regarding the fate of her husband, who was serving his constituents on a Saturday. She expressed that he did not deserve the unfortunate turn of events.
Meanwhile, Governor Degamo’s political ally, Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos, condemned the “assassination” and called upon the culprits to give up. He cautioned them that it will be in their finest pursuits to do so and vowed to ensure that justice is served for this “dastardly and heinous crime.”
Ten suspects, including six gunmen, are being sought by the police for fleeing the crime scene in two SUVs and a pickup truck, which they later abandoned in a neighbouring metropolis.
Degamo is the most recent politician to be focused, joining a protracted listing of others. In the previous year’s local elections, at least three politicians have been shot.
In February, Governor Mamintal Adiong of the southern province of Lanao del Sur was wounded in a shooting incident that resulted in the demise of his driver and three police escorts. During the same month, Vice-Mayor Rommel Alameda of Aparri and 5 other people travelling with him were shot and killed in a freeway ambush.
In 2009, the deadliest politically motivated ambush on report occurred in Maguindanao province, the place a prominent southern clan and round two dozen of their supporters got life imprisonment for assaulting backers of a gubernatorial election opponent..