CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Police on Thursday said a municipal mayor was shot in the head following a daring assault by a lone gunman at a Christmas party in Tangub City in the southern province of Misamis Occidental.
Police said the attacker shot Mayor Michael Gutierrez of Lopez Jaena town - who is running for Vice Governor of Misamis Occidental - hitting him in the head.
Gutierrez’s companion Misamis Occidental 2nd district Rep. Henry Oaminal and former Oroquieta City Mayor Jason Almonte, who is running for Congressman in 1st district of Misamis Occidental, suffered bruises and injuries during the commotion and both were released from the hospital after receiving first aid, according to Brig. Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr., the regional police chief.
Acorda ordered a lockdown of the city as police forces hunt for the gunman, who escaped after the shooting. He also formed a special investigation task group that will coordinate all police investigations into the daring attack late Wednesday.
“Gutierrez suffered a gunshot wound in the head and is now under medical treatment at the Misamis University Medical Center in Ozamiz City, while both Congressman Oaminal and Jason Almonte are now in stable condition and have been released from the hospital. Police teams were formed to provide security to all three shooting victims while forensic investigators are now processing the crime scene,” a police report, which quoted Acorda, said.
No individual or groups claimed responsibility for the attack and police did not give additional details into the shooting or how the attacker managed to sneak into the party undetected by the politicians’ security details.
The motive of the shooting remains unclear or whether the attack was politically motivated or not, but elections in the region is traditionally violent. (Mindanao Examiner)
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