Cagayan: Incumbent Mayor Joel Ruma of Rizal, Cagayan was shot dead by an unidentified assailant during a campaign sortie on Wednesday night, police reported Thursday. An initial report reaching Camp Crame indicated that the incident took place at approximately 9:30 p.m. at the barangay hall of Illuru Sur, where Ruma and his team were campaigning.
According to Philippines News Agency, a civilian named Merson Abiguebel was injured during the incident. Both Ruma and Abiguebel were rushed to the nearest hospital, but the mayor was declared dead on arrival by the attending physician. Authorities are still working to identify the suspects responsible for the shooting.
Police Regional Office 2 (Cagayan Valley) Director, Brig. General Antonio Marallag Jr., has ordered pursuit operations against the suspects and the implementation of high-risk checkpoint operations in strategic areas throughout the region. "Mariin naming kinokondena ang karahasang ito, lalo na sa panahong tayo ay naghahanda para sa mapayapang halalan 2025. Hindi kami titigil hangga't hindi namin naibibigay ang hustisya para sa mga biktima (We strongly condemn this act of violence, especially at this time when we are preparing to ensure a peaceful 2025 elections. We will not stop until we give justice to the victims)," Marallag stated.
Meanwhile, Philippine National Police (PNP) information chief Col. Randulf Tua±o suggested that Ruma might have been shot by a sniper, based on a recovered shell of an Armalite rifle. "Lumalabas sa kanilang [police] initial investigation na isang tama lang mula sa isang sniper rifle ang ginamit magmula sa isang vantage point (Their [police] initial investigation showed that only one shot from a sniper rifle was used from a vantage point)," Tua±o mentioned during a media briefing at Camp Crame.
Tua±o explained that the bullet entered Ruma's right shoulder and exited through his back, penetrating his entire body. The security detail assigned to Ruma, consisting of four police officers, will undergo a paraffin test as gunshots were also heard inside the barangay hall. "Ifo-forensic din yung kanilang issued firearms para ma-determine natin kung sino possible na nakasugat sa mga ibang tao na wounded sa loob ng barangay (Their issued firearms are also being forensically examined so we can determine who may have injured the other people who were wounded within the barangay)," he added.
Tua±o announced that the PRO 2 has activated a special investigation task group (SITG) to probe the killing of Ruma. The task group will also investigate whether the killing was politically motivated. Tua±o noted that Ruma's killing will be recommended to the Commission on Elections as an 'election-related incident pending completion of validation.'
