Ex-Cebu town mayor shot dead inside hospital —police

A former town mayor of Medellin, Cebu, was shot dead even while inside a hospital on Tuesday, police said Wednesday.

Police identified the victim as Ricardo “Ricky” Ramirez, 55, who was under hospital arrest. He was a detainee at the Medellin District Jail.

Information from the Police Regional Office-7 stated that the victim was gunned down at Bogo-Medellin Corporation Medical Center in Barangay Luy-a at 11:50 p.m.

Around 15 unidentified armed men, who were on board three SUV and one white Sedan, suddenly appeared and shot the victim, according to police.

Investigation is ongoing regarding the incident.

Earlier reports said Ramirez was nabbed in 2017 for illegal possession of firearms.

In an interview on GMA News TV's Balitanghali on Wednesday, Police Major Audie Pelayo, officer-in-charge of Medellin Police, said Ramirez did not receive any death threat.

Pelayo said upon arrival at the hospital, the unidentified men who wore bonnets disarmed the security guard and told the staff to get down on the ground.

Four men then asked a nurse to guide them to the room of Ramirez.

After destroying the doorknob, the suspects also disarmed the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) personnel guarding Ramirez' room and asked him to get down to the ground.

The ex-mayor was shot in the comfort room, while the more than 10 remaining suspects surrounded the hospital and served as lookout, Pelayo further said.

Ramirez sustained gunshot wounds in the body based on the SOCO report. The suspects used a 9-mm firearm and other high-powered guns.

Pelayo said there are no CCTV cameras at the hospital.

Police have yet to determine the motive of the killing. —Anna Felicia Bajo and Jamil Santos/KBK/KG, GMA News