Cebu town mayor shot dead inside his office

Photo: Cebu Provincial Government
Photo: Cebu Provincial Government

Mayor Mariano Blanco III of Ronda town in Cebu was shot dead inside his office at the town hall earlier today.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer reported that the four unidentified assailants pointed their guns at 2 of the watchmen outside and told them to get down on the ground. Afterward, the armed men went straight to the mayor’s office where Blanco was sleeping.

Investigator SPO1 Dionisio Tagupa of the Ronda Police Station told Inquirer: “After a second, a burst of fire was heard from the mayor’s office and then the unidentified persons left.”

Blanco was declared dead on arrival at the hospital at 2:25am, ABS-CBN News reported.

He was the 11th mayor killed under the administration of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.

In October 2017, Blanco was stripped of authority over local police in Ronda for his alleged involvement in illegal drugs.

Ronda police chief Senior Inspector JR Palcon told Rappler that they already have witnesses talking to investigators in order to get more information on the incident.

The killing comes seven months after the death of his nephew, Ronda Vice Mayor Jonah John Ungab, who was shot dead after a court hearing in Cebu City. Ungab was the lawyer of self-confessed drug dealer Kerwin Espinosa.



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