Aparri, Cagayan Vice Mayor, and five of his aides were shot dead by unidentified assailants in Bagabag, Nueva Vizcaya on Sunday, February 19.
According to a police report, at around 8:45 in the morning, individuals in pixelated police uniforms ambushed Aparri Vice Mayor Rommel Alameda and his associates while they were traveling to Manila in a black Hyundai Starex van.
The suspects fired the van in front of the M.V. Duque Elementary School in Sitio Kinacao, Barangay Baretbet.
The five slain aides were identified as John Duane Alameda, Abraham Dela Cruz Ramos Jr., Alvin Dela Cruz Abel, Agustin Delos Angeles, and Ismael Tumaru Nanay Sr.
The white SUV that the unidentified gunmen used was caught on closed-circuit television (CCTV).
Hindi bababa sa 6 patay sa ambush sa Nueva Vizcaya | via RH25 Grace Sansano
— DZRH NEWS (@dzrhnews) February 19, 2023
📷 PPO Nueva Vizcaya pic.twitter.com/1vEGD2ydyh
Cagayan Governor Manuel Mamba condemned the "cowardly and dastardly act done" against Alameda.
"He is loved and respected by his constituents in Aparri since serving as a three-term Sanggunian Bayan ad on his second term as municipal mayor. A Nationalist Party member of good standing, charismatic leader, and promising politician," he said.
Nangyaring ambush sa Neuva Vizcaya na ikinamatay ng 5 katao, kabilang si Aparri Vice Mayor Rommel Alameda, kinondena ni Cagayan Gov. Manuel Mamba | RH25 Grace Sansano#SamaSamaTayoPilipino pic.twitter.com/j8DWgDuyVo
— DZRH NEWS (@dzrhnews) February 19, 2023
Meanwhile, on Monday morning, authorities found the burned white Mitsubishi Adventure, suspected used as a getaway vehicle by the suspects, in a vacant lot in Barangay Uddiawan in Solana, Nueva Vizcaya.
Police are still looking for the suspects as of this writing.
