SANTO TOMAS — Four people were killed, including a local village chief and a police officer, and five others were wounded when unidentified gunmen opened fire during a community festival Sunday night, authorities said.
The shooting occurred around 7:50 p.m. in front of a home in Barangay San Rafael Abajo, where a group had gathered for the local barangay fiesta, according to the Isabela Police Provincial Office.
Reports disclosed that the unidentified armed suspects suddenly opened fire on the crowd before fleeing the scene.
Two victims died instantly at the scene, while others were rushed to the Milagros Albano District Hospital in neighboring Cabagan, Isabela, where two more later died.
Police identified the fatalities as Jimmy Paeste Jr., the barangay chairman of nearby Barangay Colonguan; Police Corp. Frederick Bautista; Marlo Jaoquin Baui and an unidentified man.
Bautista was an active-duty member of the Santo Tomas Municipal Police Station. The shooting took place directly in front of his home.
The five wounded victims include Police Master Sgt. Jayson Acierto, who is also assigned to the Santo Tomas police force; Margie Bautista; two 17-year-old minors and another individual listed in police logs.
Investigators from the Santo Tomas Municipal Police Station and provincial forensic units recovered evidence at the scene. Authorities have issued flash alerts to neighboring police units, set up checkpoints, and launched dragnet operations to track down the shooters. The motive for the attack remains unknown.
Santo Tomas Mayor Leandro Antonio P. Talaue strongly condemned the attack and extended condolences to the victims’ families.
“I have directed the Local Peace and Order Council, social welfare officials, and the police to conduct a thorough and swift investigation to determine the motive and identify the perpetrators,” Talaue said in an official statement.
The mayor added that additional peacekeeping forces are being deployed to secure the community. He promised full medical, psychological, and financial assistance to the wounded victims and the families of the deceased.
Local officials urged the public to remain calm, avoid spreading unverified information online, and report any relevant information to the police or the mayor’s office.