TABUK CITY, Kalinga — Three men were killed in an alleged shootout near the residence of a barangay councilor in Tabuk City, authorities reported Thursday.
According to the Police Regional Office–Cordillera (PROCOR), officers from the Tabuk City Police Station were alerted around 7 a.m. by a concerned citizen who reported bodies lying along the road in Barangay Biga.
Upon responding, police discovered the lifeless bodies of three unidentified men. Also recovered at the scene were two M16 rifles and a shotgun, suggesting a violent exchange of gunfire.
“Initial investigation disclosed that the victims had a firefight with unidentified suspects near the house of Barangay Kagawad Cleve Dumaguing of the Biga Tribe,” the report stated.
The exchange reportedly continued as the victims attempted to flee northward, where they were eventually gunned down.
Authorities have turned the case over to the Kalinga Provincial Forensic Unit for further processing and investigation, including ballistic examination and identification of the deceased.
This remains a developing story. More details are expected as police continue to piece together the sequence of events and identify the individuals involved.