Police officer shot dead in Ilocos Norte

MANILA, Philippines — A police officer was gunned down by an unidentified assailant before dawn Wednesday in Ilocos Norte, said Inspector Omar David, Piddig town police chief.

David explained that Police Officer 1 Jaymark Paragoy was headed home from the birthday party of Piddig Mayor Eduardo “Eddie” Guillen’s mother in Loing village when he was shot several times by the suspect.

Paragoy provided security for Guillen on several occasions, said David. He however denied that the police officer was the mayor’s official security aide.

He said that the shooting may have occurred between 1:15 and 1:30 a.m.

“We actually received information of a body lying along the road,” said David, adding that they first thought the victim was hit by a vehicle.

It was only when policemen responded to the area that they found out that the victim was a police officer and that he was not the victim of a road accident.

An investigation is underway to determine the identity and the motive of the suspect, said David.

He added that although they had “limited information on the incident, some witnesses recalled seeing a white Honda CR-V in the area before they heard two gunshots.”

Authorities recovered two empty shells of a 9-millimeter caliber pistol.