Impasugong municipal mayor Mario Okinlay died today following an ambush by suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA).

Okinlay was aboard a motorcycle while the rest of his group were aboard a three-vehicle convoy when the suspects ambushed them in a remote Impasug-ong barangay at around 9 am today, July 2, 2014.

A Bukidnon Online source said that the mayor and his team were on their way from a Hatid Serbisyo exercise in Bontongon. The source also said that rescuers had a difficult time pulling the mayor out of the area since the suspects were still in the area. A request for a helicopter was also reportedly made.

Although Okinlay’s group was accompanied by members of the army and other security personnel, authorities described the encounter as a “harassment attack.”

Okinlay was rushed to Polymedic General Hospital in Malaybalay City, which is about 20 minutes away from Impasug-ong, where he died of multiple gunshot wounds.

* photo courtesy of Impasugong website

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