NUEVA VIZCAYA -- Police Regional Office 2 acting director Brigadier General Percival A Rumbaoa clarified that the suspects in the ambush of the vice mayor of Aparri, Cagayan and five others in Baretbet, Bagabag, Nueva Vizcaya are not members of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
BGen Rumbaoa’s said through PRO-2’ regional information office that the suspects are not legitimate members of the PNP.
Rumbaoa made the clarification following reports that the suspects who carried out the daring ambush that left Vice Mayor Rommel G. Alameda and five others dead were wearing PNP uniforms.
Investigations revealed that the suspects were wearing police uniforms with masks and were using a white Mitsubishi Adventure with a red license plate number SFN 713.
The perpetrators set the ambush by blocking a section of the street in front of the MV Duque Elementary School in Baretbet where they peppered Vice Mayor’s car at around 8:45 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 19.
The gunmen fired at the victims using long and short firearms and even took their guns inside their vehicle before fleeing toward the direction of Solano, this province.
Aside from the vice mayor, also killed in the attack were Alexander Agustin Delos Angeles, 47; Alvin Dela Cruz Abel, 48; Abraham Dela Cruz Ramos Jr, 48; John Duane Banag Alameda, 46. All were residents of Aparri, Cagayan.
RD Rumbaoa assured that the police will exert all efforts they could to identify and arrest the suspects to bring justice to the family.
Meanwhile, Cagayan Governor Manuel Mamba readily condemned the ambush-slaying of the vice mayor and his five colleagues.
The vice mayor and his companions were going to Manila to attend a Vice Mayors League activity when the incident happened.