MANILA, Philippines--A traffic altercation sparked a simmering family feud and a gunfight that left six people dead at the public market in Imus, Cavite, on Sunday night, police reported yesterday.

Supt. Ulysses Cruz, Imus police chief, said the family of Roy Bautista, 68, and that of Sowaid Salib, had an argument while aboard their respective vehicles on the road and that this continued at the market in Barangay Bayang Luma at 9:45 p.m.

There, discussions between the group of Bautista, his sons Richie and Raffy and driver Michael and Salib and his son Mahmod Sultan erupted into an exchange of fire. The groups were armed with hand guns.

Cruz said the Bautistas owned an ice plant in the town, while Sultan operated a cell phone and DVD store.

The victims were rushed to the Lady of Pillars Hospital, where five were declared dead on arrival, while Salanguit died yesterday morning, he said.

The two families were known rivals in the town, Cruz said, believing the encounter to be business-related.

But Bacoor Mayor Strike Revilla, who said the elder Bautista was a cousin, said the shooting had nothing to do with business or politics.

“It was a simple case of misunderstanding that became heated and blew up,” Revilla said.

He said Bautista’s daughter was reportedly heckled by the other group and this resulted in a heated confrontation.

Revilla said Richie had just returned home from abroad to attend the wedding of Raffy on Saturday.