ANOTHER high-ranking local government official and his driver were killed Saturday afternoon, July 7.
Vice Mayor Alex Lubigan of Trece Martires City in Cavite was gunned down at about 3:00 p.m. Saturday in front of the Korean-Philippines Friendship Hospital along Trece-Indang Road in Barangay Luciano.
He was the third local government official shot dead by assassins within six days.
An initial report by the Trece Martires police sent through short messaging service (SMS) said Lubigan, 44, was on board his pick-up truck when a gunman on board another vehicle fired multiple shots.
Lubigan and his driver Romulo Guillemer were killed while another man on board their vehicle identified as Romeo Edrinal was in critical condition at the General Emilio Aguinaldo Memorial Hospital.
The vehicle of the gunman was traversing towards Indang.
Lubigan was killed after mayors of Tanauan City, Batangas and General Tinio town in Nueva Ecija were also gunned down.
Tanauan City Mayor Antonio Halili was killed by a single gunshot to the chest while singing the national anthem at the Tanauan City Hall on Monday, July 2.
General Tinio town Mayor Ferdinand Bote was ambushed and killed while on board his vehicle in Cabanatuan City on Tuesday afternoon, July 3.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. earlier said the high-profile killings were not sanctioned by the state. He hinted that President Rodrigo Duterte's critics may be behind the killings to discredit and destabilize the government.
Roque said the Palace also condemned the killing of Lubigan’s slay.
“We strongly condemn the ambush of Trece Martires Vice Mayor Alex Lubigan this afternoon. Our condolences go out to the grieving family and friends of the late Vice Mayor Lubigan,” Roque said in a statement.
Amid the “worrisome” murders of the local government executives, Roque assured that the executive department would exhaust all efforts to end violence involving local officials.
“We ask the leadership of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to conduct a fair and through investigation and spare no effort in getting to the bottom of this latest crime,” he said.
“We must band together and put an end to the worrisome incidents of violence involving local politicians,” he added. (Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo and Ruth Abbey Gita/SunStar Philippines)