The governor of Oriental Negros province and five other people were shot dead by unknown gunmen in the central Philippines on Saturday.
Local police said six suspects armed with assault rifles and dressed in similar army uniforms stormed the home of Governor Ruel Degamo in Pamplona and opened fire.
Janice Digamo, the city’s mayor and the deputy’s widow, said the governor and five other people were killed in the shooting. The condition of four people injured in the shooting is still unknown.
He condemned President Ferdinand Marcos "Assassination" his political ally and called on the shooters to turn themselves in, vowing to quickly prosecute the perpetrators.
Police spokeswoman Kim Lopez told AFP that the governor was distributing humanitarian aid to voters.
Digamo, 56, is the latest politician to be targeted and at least the third to be shot dead since last year’s local elections.
Last month, the country’s Supreme Court announced his victory as governor of the central Oriental-Negros region, after a recount of votes.
In February, two deputies were targeted, the governor of the southern province of Lanao del Sur Mamental Adeung who was injured and the deputy mayor of Apari (North) Rommel Alameda who was killed.
