The vice mayor of Aparri, Cagayan and five others were killed in an ambush in Sitio Kinacao, Barangay Baretbet, Bagabag, Nueva Vizcaya on Sunday morning, Feb. 19.
Lt. Col. Saturnino Soriano, regional information officer of the Police Regional Office 2 (Cagayan Valley), identified the slain local official as Vice Mayor Rommel G. Almeda.
Initial investigation said the victim was on board a black Hyundai Starex with license plates KOV-881 with five companions when six men wearing police uniforms and masks blocked their path with the barricade of the MV Duque Elementary School and a white Mitsubishi Adventure with government license plates SFN-713 at about 8:45 a.m.
The gunmen fired at the victims using long and short firearms and took their guns inside their vehicle before fleeing towards the direction of Solano, this province.
Police are conducting hot-pursuit operation and have established checkpoints in the province. Scene-of-the-Crime Operatives are processing the crime scene.
Investigation is ongoing.