AN ASPIRANT for village chief of Barangay Barubuhan, Sominot town in Zamboanga del Sur province, was killed while one of his companions was wounded in an ambush Sunday afternoon.

Chief Superintendent Edwin De Ocampo, deputy regional director for administration, identified the fatality as Rolando Labad, who sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Wounded was Carlito Murcia, who was hospitalized for a bullet wound on his right leg.

Labad’s two other companions - Santiago Miñoza and Enrico Estrada - were unscathed during the ambush and were able to immediately call for police assistance.

De Ocampo said investigation showed the victims were ambushed by unidentified gunmen while they were in a motorcycle convoy traveling from the village of Poblacion to the residence of Miñoza in Barubuhan village.

Policemen recovered 42 empty shells and two live ammunitions of M16 Armalite rifle, as well as two empty shells of caliber .45 pistol, from the crime scene.

De Ocampo said investigation continues in a bid to identify the perpetrators.