CALAMBA CITY, Philippines—Politics could be the reason behind the killing of former municipal planning and development coordinator of Gen. Mariano Alvarez (GMA) town in Cavite on August 9, investigators said Friday.

Senior Inspector Panfilo Feranel, town police chief, said it was still premature to conclude the real motive in the killing of Marilou Fontanilla, 50, but there was a high probability that this was linked to politics.

Police have identified a suspect but refused to divulge the alleged assailant’s identity.

Fontanilla was shot dead by an unidentified gunman several times in her chest and stomach.

Her 17-year-old son Elmer witnessed the shooting, which happened at 8:30 p.m., but failed to identify the gunman because the latter was wearing a cap nearly covering his face.

Elmer who is the current Sanggunian Kabataan (SK) chairman in their village in Poblacion 2, said in a phone interview that the assailant approached his mother and without warning shot her.

The gunman ran and fled using a motorcycle parked near the crime scene, he said.

Elmer said politics could be the motive since he has rivals in the SK chairmanship and his mother was a former municipal officer.

Feranel said the murder is still under investigation.