MANILA, Philippines (AP) – Police have killed a central mayor of the city of Philippines and two of his assistants, while two of the police officers were killed in the latest deadly violence in which police were involved, officials said Tuesday.
“I can only assume it was a wrong encounter,” Brig. Genl. Ronaldo de Jesus, a local police commander, said based on initial police reports.
Police were on a regular patrol when they were fired Monday afternoon by the security assistants of Catbalogan Mayor Ronaldo Aquino, who according to the Jesus was hit in a van.
Police fired back and killed Aquino and two of his assistants, including a police escort, while the mayor’s assistants killed two of the police officers, who were driving behind the mayor’s bus, he said.
“They suspected and opened fire on our policemen and our forces retaliated,” de Jesus told reporters, adding that an investigation was underway.
In a video from shortly after the attack, residents can see Aquino’s white bakkie grinding, the windows smashed by gunfire and the van being peppered with bullet holes. At the scene of the attack in the middle of a bridge, the bullet casings were spent.
Rep. Edgar Sarmiento, a friend of Aquino, said the mayor, who was on his way to his child’s birthday, may have been targeted, but de Jesus said police did not pursue Aquino and that they were just on ‘ was an ordinary patrol.
“It was well planned. After the van stopped, it was immediately hit. It is good that they were able to take revenge, ‘Sarmiento told DZMM radio in tears. “We’re in a pandemic and things like that are still happening.”
Several mayors and provincial officials linked to illegal drugs were ambushed and killed by unknown gunmen under President Rodrigo Duterte. But Sarmiento said Aquino has no involvement in the illegal drug trade.
Monday’s deadly violence was the latest to involve police.
Over the weekend, police, backed by military forces, killed nine people during raids on suspected communist insurgents in four provinces near Manila. Police officers said the suspects first opened fire, but leftist groups say the victims were unarmed activists.
The Justice Department was ordered to investigate the deaths, which were condemned by left-wing and human rights groups.
Two weeks ago, the police and agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency armed with assault rifles and pistols outside a mall in an armed struggle turned into an apparent collision while each party undertook separate drug operations. Three law enforcers and a government drug informant were killed in the fierce altercation.
Many people were trapped in the nearby mall by the gun that closed the mall, traffic jammed and seen by many residents, commuters and shoppers.