BACOLOD CITY – Two persons, including a councilor, were killed in an ambush at Barangay Inolingan, Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental Thursday morning.
Killed were Councilor Michael Garcia, and Mark Garcia, nephew and brother of Vice Mayor Ella Celestina Garcia-Yulo, respectively.
Police Major Junji Liba, town police chief, said the two fatalities were on board a pick-up truck when their vehicle was riddled with bullets.
They came from a campaign sortie when about 20 unidentified armed men on board a vehicle and motorcycle fired at them at close range.
No other injuries were reported.
The vice mayor was riding another vehicle when the incident happened but she was unharmed.
Garcia-Yulo is running for mayor in the town against incumbent Mayor Magdaleno Peña while the councilor was seeking reelection in this year’s May 13 elections.
Liba said they cannot yet tell if the assailants were gun-for-hire or members of the New People’s Army (NPA).
Police have yet to establish the motive of the killing but Brigadier General Benedict Arevalo, commander of 303rd Infantry Brigade of Philippine Army, said the incident was considered to be an election-related violence.
On April 3, the town was declared by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) an area of immediate concern under red category, following the death of Councilor Jolomar Hilario in Barangay Inolingan on March 31 perpetrated by NPA. (Glazyl Masculino)
