TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan - A university dean, who is the daughter of a reelectionist municipal mayor in a town here, was killed while three others were wounded when still unidentified heavily armed men reportedly ambushed the van where the victims were riding along the national highway at Brangay Dalaya, Buguey town around 8 p.m. Tuesday.
A report from the Cagayan provincial police office led by Senior Supt. Virgilio Moro Lazo identified the victim as Prof. Rose Abad, a dean at the Cagayan State University based in the city, who is the daughter of Gonzaga Mayor Roscendo Abad.
The identities of the three injured individuals, who were in the company of the victim at the time of the ambush, were not yet available as of press time.
Initial police investigation showed the victim boarded the passenger van from Tuguegarao City on their way home when they were waylaid by the still unidentified armed men along the national road in Buguey leading to the town proper of Gonzaga.
When the van reached a darkened portion of the national highway, the suspects suddenly appeared from nowhere and started firing at the vehicle with the bullets hitting the passengers in different parts of their bodies.
Responding police operatives and elements of the Scene Of the Crime Operation (SOCO) team immediately rushed the four shooting victims to the nearest private and public hospitals but Abad was pronounced dead on arrival due to multiple gunshot wounds in different parts of her body. Her three injured companions are still in critical condition in the hospitals.
Probers are zeroing in on politics as the motive behind the untimely death of the university dean considering that her father is seeking an elective position in the upcoming May 2010 elections.
Police recovered from the crime scene multiple empty shells of M-16 Armalite rifle and caliber .45 pistol which were believed to have been used by the suspects.
Meanwhile, incumbent Abra Rep. Cecille Luna blamed his son Ryan's political rival, incumbent Bangued town mayor Dominic Valera, as behind Sunday's slay try on his son.
