AN ELECTION officer was killed while her assistant escaped unscathed in a drive-by shooting incident in the province of Zamboanga del Norte, the police reported Friday, June 10, 2022.

Police Major Shellamie Chang, Police Regional Office-Zamboanga Peninsula information officer, said Engineer Marcicel Peralta, 45, died instantaneously when shot by a motorcycle-riding gunman around 8:42 p.m. Thursday, June 9, in Lapu-Lapu village, Piñan, Zamboanga del Norte.

Peralta is the election officer of Mutia, Zamboanga del Norte. Her assistant election officer, Marites Inding, 52, was unscathed.

Chang said Peralta was driving a car with Inding as her passenger when shot by the motorcycle-riding suspect that overtook them upon reaching a bridge in Lapu-Lapu village.

At the time of the incident, Peralta and Inding were on the way home to Dapitan City and Dipolog City, respectively. (SunStar Zamboanga)