Gen. Rodolfo Azurin, Jr., chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), ordered on Sunday, Feb. 19, a thorough investigation into the ambush-slay of Appari, Cagayan Vice Mayor Rommel Alameda in Nueva Vizcaya to determine the motive and eventually lead to the identification of perpetrators.
PNP chief information officer Col. Redrico Maranan said Azurin also tasked local police forces to intensify the pursuit operations against the suspects behind the ambush that also led to the death of five other companions of Alameda.
The attack occurred two days after the ambush on Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal Adiong, Jr. who was wounded in the gun attack. The same incident resulted in the death of four of his security personnel, including three policemen.
Quoting report from the local police, Maranan said more or less six people on board a white Mitsubishi Adventure, with government plate SFN713, suddenly blocked the national highway using the school barricade of MV Duque Elementary School in Sitio Kinacao, Barangay Baretbet, Bagabag town at around 8:45 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 19.
When a black van arrived, the gunmen started shooting it which resulted in the death of six people on board.
"The suspects after consummating the ambush, they forcefully opened the vehicle of the victims and took the short and long firearms inside the vehicle," Maranan said, quoting a police report.
"Suspects immediately escaped heading towards Solano, Nueva Vizcaya," he added.
It turned out later during the investigation that one of the fatalities was Alameda.