Sudipen, La Union mayor Buquing, 2 others killed in ambush

The mayor of Sudipen town in La Union and two companions were killed after the pick-up truck they were riding was strafed by still unidentified assailants in the municipality of Bangar.

Supiden, La Union Mayor Alexander Buquing at dalawang kasama, patay matapos tambangan, ayon kay P/CInsp. Serilo Butigan Jr, Hepe ng Bangar, La Union. pic.twitter.com/JsOvY6gSPg

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) October 1, 2018

Investigators identified those killed as Sudipen Mayor Alexander Buquing, PO2 Rolando Juanbe and Boni Depdepen.

Vice Mayor Wendy Joy Buquing, the mayor's wife, was injured in the attack, though was later declared out of danger given that her injuries were nonlethal.

The mayor and Juanbe were declared dead on arrival at the Ilocos Sur District Hospital in Tagudin.

Wendy and Depdepen were brought to the Lorma Medical Center in the city of San Fernando. Depdepen was declared dead on arrival.

Initial report showed that the mayor and his companions were on the Bangar-Castro provincial road in Barangay Cadapali when at 6:40 p.m. they were fired upon by the suspects.

The suspects were reportedly in a white pick-up at the rear of the mayor's vehicle.

Bangar police commander Chief Inspector Cirilo Butigan Jr. admitted that they did have the license plate number of the shooter's vehicle, and their investigation had not yet to discerned the motive for the shooting.

Butigan also said that Mayor Buquing was not on President Rodrigo Duterte's narco-list, a record that was said to contain the names of thousands of government officials who were alleged to be drug suspects. —NB, GMA News