MANILA, Nov. 14 (Xinhua) -- Unidentified gunmen peppered the car of a town vice mayor with bullets in the northern Philippine province of La Union on Wednesday morning, killing him and his bodyguard instantly.
Local Police said Balaoan town Vice Mayor Alfred Concepcion died from multiple gunshot wounds, but his daughter, the incumbent Mayor Aleli Concepcion who was also in the car, survived the ambush.
One of their security escorts was also killed in the attack, according to the police.
The ambush took place around 8:20 a.m. local time while the father and daughter were on the way to the municipal hall, police added.
The Concepcions are seeking reelection in the 2019 midterm elections.
Alfred Concepcion is the latest local official to be killed in La Union. Mayor Alexander Buquing of Sudipen town was shot dead on Oct. 1 on the way home with his wife. His wife was also wounded in the attack.
On Monday, Philippine National Police Director General Oscar Albayalde said they are looking into the links between some politicians to gun-for-hire groups, ahead of the 2019 midterm elections to elect half of the members of the senate, new members of the House of Representatives and local provincial, town and village officials.
Albayalde said the police will also carry out "aggressive operations" to control the thousands of loose or unlicensed guns in the country in the hands of gun-for-hire groups.
The number of political killings is increasing in the Philippines in the run up to the May 2019 election. Many of the victims are seeking reelections in the local levels.
The official campaign will begin in February next year.
