Six killed in ambush in Philippines

Manila, Feb 19 (IANS) Six people, including a local official, were killed when unidentified gunmen opened fire at a van in Nueva Vizcaya province in the Philippines on Sunday morning, police said.

The police said the attack occurred around 8.45 a.m. local time along a highway in Bagabag town while the van was traveling north to Aparri, a town in the northern Philippine Cagayan province, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Initial investigation showed that the six masked gunmen, clad in police uniforms, blocked the road, forcing the van to stop. The armed men then peppered the car with bullets, resulting in the death of the six.

The attackers fled after the ambush.

The police confirmed that one of those killed was a vice mayor of Aparri, and the five others were his aides. The six died at the scene.

A police investigation is underway to determine the motive of the shooting.

–IANS

int/svn/