ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — Unidentified gunmen killed a town councilor in Zamboanga del Norte on Monday.
Ernesto Bihag Jr., 46, of Liloy town was driving his Toyota Fortuner on his way to the municipal hall when a Toyota Innova overtoook his vehicle along the highway in Barangay Comunal and opened fire, Brig. Gen. Ronaldo Genaro Ylagan, Zamboanga peninsula police director, said.
Police said the victim’s car overshot a road shoulder and crashed into a mahogany tree.
Responding policemen retrieved the bullet-riddled body of the councilor.
The victim was declared dead on arrival in a hospital.
Ylagan said pursuit operations for the suspects were ongoing.
Probers are looking into several angles, including politics, as the motive for the killing.