Cagayan mayor slain in flag ceremony attack

GONZAGA, CAGAYAN – Mayor Carlito Pentecostes Jr. of Gonzaga was killed when a group of 15 armed men attacked the municipal town hall on Monday morning, April 21.

According to Major Emmanuel Garcia of Northern Luzon Command 1st Civil Relations Group, the attack happened at around 7:30 a.m. during a flag raising ceremony.

The issued military report reads, “More or less 15 armed men clad in PNP uniform onboard two vans staged an attack at the town hall of Gonzaga, Cagayan, during the flag raising ceremony. The mayor including his two bodyguards reportedly died on the spot.”

Authorities exchanged fire during the attack, but the gunmen managed to slay Pentecostes before escaping.

“Firefight ensued with the PNP personnel but the armed men withdrew immediately after killing the mayor. The armed men commandeered the police car as their means of escape. Pursuit operation now ongoing,” the military report said.

Pentecostes was on his second term as mayor of Gonzaga under VP Jejomar Binay’s United Nationalist Alliance (UNA).

With report from Carmela Fonbuena