Quezon town mayor survives ambush

CAMP NAKAR, Lucena City, Philippines – The mayor of San Francisco, Quezon survived an ambush together with his wife and driver along the Maharlika Highway here before dawn last Thursday.

Police said Mayor Joselito Alega, together with his wife Elvira and driver Bernabe Jorquia had come from his residence at Calmar Homes Subdivision here and was on his way to San Francisco town when his Isuzu Altera was fired at twice.

One of the bullets hit the vehicle’s left front side.

Despite the incident, Alega continued his trip and reported it to the police upon reaching San Francisco.

In Nueva Ecija, meanwhile, Mayor Quintino Caspillo Jr. of Talugtog town blamed politics for the failed ambush on him and three councilors last Wednesday.

“Of course, this is politically motivated,” he told The STAR.

Caspillo and councilors Benjie Gamit and Jerry Agpalo were unhurt while another councilor, Freddie Domingo, was slightly wounded when Armalite-wielding men waylaid them while they were on their way to a nearby town.

But police said it was still premature to link the attack to politics. – Michelle Zoleta, Ed Amoroso and Manny Galvez