Philippines: Governor Degamo, Five Others Shot Dead

A provincial governor in Philippines and five others have been shot dead by unknown gunmen.

Roel Degamo, the governor of Negros Oriental province, and five others were killed in the shooting.

Police said six suspects carrying rifles and dressed in uniforms similar to those worn by the armed services entered the governor’s home in Pamplona town and committed the offence.

Degamo is the latest to be targeted in Philippines’ history of attacks on politicians and is at least the third to be shot since local elections last year.

Mamintal Adiong, the governor of the southern province of Lanao del Sur, was shot and wounded in February in an attack that killed his driver and three police escorts.

That same month, the vice-mayor of Aparri, Rommel Alameda, and five others who were travelling with him were shot dead in a highway ambush.