Pampanga town council candidate, driver killed in ambush

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO — A candidate for councilor in San Simon town in Pampanga and his driver were killed Saturday morning in an ambush staged by unknown gunmen, Vice Mayor Leonora Wong confirmed in a phone interview.

Wong, who is now acting mayor in place of suspended Mayor Abundio Punsalan Jr., identified the victim as Rogelio “Jonjon” Salvador, 42, who is running under the Kambilan provincial party.

Pampanga police chief Colonel Robin Sarmiento confirmed that Rogelio’s nephew Joel Salvador also died in the attack that happened at 7:30 a.m. Joel was Roegelio’s driver, said police.

Arnel Caparas who was also in the car was hurt in the attack. He is now in critical condition in a hospital.

Wong said the gun attack happened as the victims’ car approached the San Miguel bridge toward Barangay Concepcion where Salvador served as a former village chief.

The gunmen were also aboard a car that came from the opposite direction.

“They were on their way to join our motorcade to promote the national vaccination days when they were ambushed,” Wong told the Inquirer. Sarmiento has yet to confirm if the gun attack was election-related.

/MUF