Philippine mayor Ronaldo Aquino killed during shoot-out with police in ‘mistaken encounter’, authorities claim
- Two of Aquino’s aides as well as two officers were also killed in the shoot-out, prompting an investigation
- Aquino was on his way to his child’s birthday party and one of his friends has claimed he was targeted
“I can only assume that this was a mistaken encounter,” Brigadier General Ronaldo de Jesus, a regional police commander, said based on initial police reports.
The police were on routine patrol when they were fired upon on Monday afternoon by security aides of Catbalogan City Mayor Ronaldo Aquino, who was being driven in a van in eastern Samar province, according to de Jesus.
The police returned fire and killed Aquino and two of his aides, including a police escort, while the mayor’s aides killed two of the police officers, who were driving behind the mayor’s van, he said.
“They had suspicions and opened fire on our policemen and our forces retaliated,” de Jesus told reporters, adding that an investigation was under way.
Video from shortly after the attack showed residents milling around Aquino’s white van, its windows shattered by gunfire and the van peppered with bullet holes. Spent bullet shells littered the scene of the attack in the middle of a bridge.