Los Baños, Laguna Mayor Caesar Perez was killed after a shooting incident occurred inside the municipal hall, Tuesday night, according to the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Laguna.
According to reports, the mayor was in an open lounge behind the municipal hall when suspects yet to be identified shot him twice at the back of his head.
Respondents rushed him to HealthServ Medical Center, where he died at around 9:50 pm.
Caesar Perez previously served as Vice Governor of Laguna.
Meanwhile, Laguna Governor Ramil Hernandez sent his condolences to the Perez family and condemned the killing.
“Taos pusong nakikiramay ang inyong lingkod, sampu ng aking pamilya, sa mga naiwang kapamilya at kababayan sa Los Baños ni Mayor Caesar P. Perez,” the governor wrote in a Facebook post.
(My family and I offer our heartfelt condolences to the family and Los Baños constituents of Mayor Caesar P. Perez.)
“Mariin kong kinokondena ang nangyaring pagpatay kay Mayor Perez at pinag-uutos ko ang masusing imbestigasyon ukol sa bagay na ito upang makamit ang nararapat na hustisya,” he added.
(I strongly condemn the killing of Mayor Caesar Perez, and I already ordered a thorough investigation of the incident to ensure that justice is served.)
Los Baños, Laguna Mayor Caesar Perez dies after shooting inside town hall
In 2019, Mayor Ceasar Perez was one of the 46 mayors included in President Rodrigo Duterte’s list of “narco politicians.”
In 2017, Perez was also one of the four mayors in Calabarzon who were stripped of power over the local police.
In March last year, Mayor Caesar Perez denied his alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade, saying his inclusion in the “narco list” was politically motivated.
In 2020 alone, four incumbent and former mayors have been involved in shooting incidents.
In February, Sultan Sumagka Mayor Abdulwahab Sabal from Maguindanao was shot dead in Manila.
In July, Sto. Niño, South Cotabato Mayor Pablo Matinong also died in a shooting incident while Samar Mayor Vicente Limpiado was injured.
Former Flora, Apayao Mayor Richard De San Jose was also killed, while former Pagbilao, Quezon Mayor Romar Portes, was in critical condition after a shooting.
Sabal and Matinong were also on Duterte’s “narco list.”