MANILA – Vice Mayor Alex Lubigan of Trece Martires City in Cavite province has been killed – the third local government official slain in the recent week.
Lubigan was gunned down outside the Korean-Philippines Hospital in the component city past 3 p.m. on Saturday.
He was on board a black Toyota Hilux traversing Trece Martires-Indang Road in Barangay Luciano, Trece Martires City when attacked.
The gunman, on board a sport utility vehicle, hit Lubigan’s pickup vehicle and fired at the vice mayor, according to Senior Superintendent William Segun, Cavite police director.
An initial report from the Calabarzon regional police stated that the shot came from a black Mitsubishi Montero.
Lubigan died on the spot, said Segun.
A companion, Romulo Guillemer, was hit, too. He was taken to the General Emilio Aguinaldo Memorial Hospital but expired at around 5 p.m.
Lubigan’s death followed the killings of mayors Antonio Halili of Tanauan City, Batangas on Monday and Ferdinand Bote of General Tinio, Nueva Ecija.
Both fatal shootings were still under investigation.
In a radio interview, Calabarzon regional police chief Edward Carranza said they were looking at local politics as possible motive in Lubigan’s killing.
Condemning Lubigan’s ambush, Malacañang ordered the police to conduct a fair investigation.
“We ask the leadership of the Philippine National Police to conduct a fair and thorough investigation and spare no effort in getting to the bottom of this latest crime,” Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said in a statement.
The Palace expressed condolences to the slain vice mayor’s family and friends.
“We must band together and put an end to the worrisome incidents of violence involving local politicians,” Roque added.
Earlier Roque stressed that there was no culture of impunity in the country.
He claimed that the killings of Halili and Bote were an “attempt to erode confidence in the President, whose main platform of governance rests on fighting crimes.”
Halili was killed by sniper fire on July 2 during a flag-raising ceremony at the Tanauan City Hall while Bote was ambushed while on board his vehicle on July 3 outside the National Irrigation Administration in Cabanatuan City.
Known for parading suspected criminals in an apparent shame campaign, Halili was himself linked to the illegal drug trade.
Bote, a member of the ruling party, Partido Demokratiko Pilipino – Lakas ng Bayan, was repeatedly shot by motorcycle-riding gunmen. (With CNN Philippines, ABS-CBN News and Adrian Stewart Co/PN)
