The gunmen waited for the national anthem to finish, then shot dead a town mayor of Cagayan province during the flag ceremony early Monday morning, police said. The province's police chief said he suspects NPA guerrillas did the deed.
Cagayan provincial police chief Senior Superintendent Gregorio Lim said Gonzaga town mayor Carlito Pentecostes Jr. was about to deliver a speech when two men approached him and opened fire.
"Pagkatapos ng Pambansang Awit at [bago] mag-speech si Mayor, biglang may lumapit sa kanya allegedly dalawa ... at pinagbabaril [siya]," Lim said in an interview on dzBB radio, citing initial reports reaching him.
He said the assailants were among 20 suspected New People's Army members who were in the vicinity during the flag ceremony. "Confirmed [na] NPA," the police official claimed.
Lim said the mayor died from at least three gunshot wounds.
Meanwhile, a separate report on Bombo Radyo said the shooting occurred at about 8 a.m. at the municipal hall.
It quoted Pentecostes' nephew and driver John Pentecostes as saying the assailants who approached the mayor wore camouflage uniforms.
The mayor even greeted the two before they opened fire, the report added.
Pursuit operations are ongoing against the armed men who were riding an Elf-type truck and a van, Lim said.
Also, he said the police are looking into the possibility that the killing was related to suspected black sand mining in the area, noting the NPAs had protested this issue.
Cagayan town mayor shot dead at flag ceremony by suspected NPA rebels | News | GMA News Online 
Buntag sayu man gi-ambush si mayor! paetah..tsk..tsk..tsk!
Cagayan town mayor shot dead at flag ceremony by suspected NPA rebels!
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