Aparri vice mayor, 5 others killed in Nueva Vizcaya ambush

Aparri, Cagayan Vice Mayor Rommel Alameda and five others were killed when their van was ambushed by gunmen in Nueva Vizcaya on Sunday, police said.

The incident occurred at 8:45 a.m. in Sitio Kinacao, Barangay Beretbet in the municipality of Bagabag, Police Major Oscar Abrogena, police chief of Bagabag, said in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB.

Initial investigation showed the victims were aboard a Starex van on the way to Manila when more or less six suspects fired at them, Abrogena said.

"Inabangan sila sa part ng Bagabag, particularly dito sa Kinacao, Beretbet," he said.

(The suspects waited for them in Bagabag, particularly in Kinacao, Beretbet.)

"On going ang hot pursuit operation laban sa mga suspek na nakasakay sa Adventure na puti," the police chief added.

(There is a hot pursuit operation against the suspects who were on a white Adventure.)

In a mobile phone message, the Nueva Vizcaya police identified the other victims as Alexander Agustin Delos Angeles, Alvin Dela Cruz Abel, Abraham Dela Cruz Ramos, John Duane Banag Almeda, and Ismael Nanay.

All of Nueva Vizcaya's towns were on alert with strong checkpoints in place for the possible arrest of the suspects.

For its part, the Nueva Vizcaya Provincial Police Office said it was looking into whether any of their police officers were involved in the incident after witnesses said the suspects were wearing the pixelized uniforms of the police and the Adventure had a red license plate.

DEVELOPING STORY: PNP, inaalam na kung may mga pulis na sangkot sa pananambang sa bise alkalde ng Aparri, Cagayan sa Bagabag, Nueva Vizcaya. | via @dzbbsamnielsen pic.twitter.com/z4UB4PEUnR

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) February 19, 2023

 —KG/DVM, GMA Integrated News