Two aspiring candidates in the upcoming elections in Misamis Occidental were wounded when an unidentified gunman fired a shot at an event attended by House Deputy Speaker Henry Oaminal in Tangub City on Wednesday night (Dec. 22).
Also at the event were members of Partido Demokratikong Pilipino (PDP-Laban) and Asenso Ozamiz team.
According to a police report, a single gunshot at 8:45 p.m. marred the group’s Christmas party held at Sitio Pulao, Brgy. VII, Tangub City. It was said that the bullet came from a sniper.
The bullet hit the glass door and a splinter hit the nape of former Oroquieta mayor Jason Almonte. The slug hit the left temple of Lopez Jaena Mayor Michael Gutierrez and exited his nape.
Both victims were immediately rushed to Misamis University Medical Center in Ozamiz City where they were given first aid. Gutierrez was later transported to Mayor Hilarion A. Ramiro Sr. Medical Center where he was successfully operated on and is now in the intensive care unit.
In a statement released by Gutierrez’ family on his official Facebook page, they said the mayor is in critical condition and suffered severe brain injuries from the shooting.
Almonte was in stable condition and released from the hospital that night.
Ozamiz City Mayor Sancho Fernando Oaminal condemned the shooting incident and called it a “desperate move,” but did not elaborate. His father, House Deputy Speaker Henry Oaminal, suffered minor bruises from the incident but was safe from the shooting, along with other guests.
Gutierrez is running for vice governor under the PDP-Laban-Team Asenso ticket with his running-mate, Deputy Speaker and gubernatorial bet Henry Oaminal, while Almonte is a congressional aspirant in the 1st District of Misamis Occidental.
Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) condemned the shooting and has imposed a lockdown of Tangub City while dragnet operations are underway against the perpetrators. Checkpoints in the city have also been set up.
With the directives on the matter from PNP Chief Police Gen. Dionardo Carlos, Police Regional Office 10 (PRO-10) Director Police Brig. Gen. Benjamin Acorda said the Special Investigation Task Group Oaminal-Gutierrez-Almonte has been created to focus on the case.
“PRO-10 strongly condemns the shooting incident that transpired yesterday in Tangub City during a Christmas fellowship party of the group of Congressman Henry Oaminal, Mayor Michael Gutierrez, and Mr. Jason Almonte,” he said in a statement.
“We encourage the public to provide us with relevant information especially those who have witnessed the incident and report it to the nearest police stations or through these numbers: 0917-631-1813/0915-303-3072,” Acorda added.
Investigation is still ongoing, according to the police. (PTV News)/CC- jlo
