The mayor of Sudipen town in La Union, along with his two companions, were gunned down by still unidentified assailants in the municipality of Bangar on Monday night.
Alexander “Alan” Buquing, the latest official in the long list of local executives killed since 2016, was on his way home with his wife, Vice Mayor Wendy Joy Buquing, his driver Boni Depdepen, and his police guard Police Officer II Rolando Juanbe when the assailants riding a white pick-up truck fired shots at them at close range.
Buquing was the 11th local chief executive to be killed under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte, Philippine National Police spokesman Benigno Durana Jr. said.
Buquing was not included in the Duterte administration’s narco-list.
The Philippine National Police said it had formed a task force to probe Buquing’s killing.
“We would like to assure the families of the victims that the PNP is committed to getting to the bottom of this case,” PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde said in a statement.
Senator Bam Aquino said Tuesday he wanted to look into the recent killings and attacks on local government officials in different parts of the country following the assassination of several mayors and vice mayors in the past months.
“We should take a stand against a culture of violence in our country. Filipino families are being left and hurt in the conflicts and killings,” Aquino said.
Malacañang quickly denounced the latest Buquing’s killing.
“Like all killings, we condemn it. And we commit to conducting a fast investigation to uncover the individuals behind this latest attack,” Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque told reporters
According to previous reports, 12 town mayors and six vice mayors have been killed under the Duterte administration.
The Palace, however, did not set aside the notion that the forthcoming midterm elections next year might be one of the motives for the killing.
“Though I am not saying the killing is justified, right now is the season of politics,” Roque said.
“The only solution to that is to prosecute the people behind these killings, instilling fear in their hearts and minds.”
According to police reports, Buquing and his bodyguard Juanbe were rushed by responders to the Ilocos Sur District Hospital while his wife and driver Depdepen were carried by an ambulance to the Lorma Medical Center in San Fernando City in La Union.
Bangar police head Cirilo Butigan said Buquing, his driver and his bodyguard were declared dead on arrival. Only Vice Mayor Buquing survived the attack.
“The reason why the vice mayor looked as if she sustained body wounds at first was because the Mayor shielded her,” Butigan told Rappler. With Dexter A. See, Francisco Tuyay, Macon Ramos-Araneta, and PNA
