A former congressman from Batangas and two still unidentified people were found dead on Thursday in Quezon province in a vehicle that had been set on fire. The victims also bore gunshot wounds.
The body of former Rep. Edgar Mendoza, 60, who also served as Immigration commissioner, and the two other victims were in the partially burned vehicle that was found in Tiaong, Quezon.
Police reports said residents reported the presence of a burning vehicle in Barangay San Francisco before dawn, where the authorities discovered the remains of the victims inside the vehicle after putting out the fire.
In Pangasinan, a former provincial police director was shot dead by still unidentified motorcyle-riding suspects Thursday afternoon.
Police Gen. Marlou Chan was declared dead on arrival at the Villaflor Dagupan Doctors Hospital.
Malacañang on Thursday condemned Mendoza’s murder.
“This is an outrageous act of barbarism. The perpetrators of this heinous crime will be pursued until they are placed behind bars,” Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said.
“As the Palace condemns this recent felony, we express our deep condolences to the family, loved ones, colleagues and constituents of the late former Congressman Edgar Mendoza.”
The Justice department said it will order the National Bureau of Investigation to do a parallel probe of the circumstances surrounding the death of the victims.
“I will order the NBI to assist the police in investigating and finding the perpetrators of this horrible crime,” Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said in a text message to reporters.
“The NBI’s forensic experts will also be of great help in identifying the victims.”
Initial investigation showed that Mendoza left his residence to attend a meeting in Calamba City, Laguna, on Wednesday. He was with his driver and an aide when he left his house.
Mendoza’s family reported him missing when he failed to get home on Wednesday night, investigators said.
Mendoza, a lawyer, once served as Immigration Commissioner during the Arroyo administration.
He represented the Second District of Batangas in the 11th Congress from 1998 to 2001.
The Quezon police have launched a manhunt for the killers while investigators are still determining the motive for the killings. With MJ Blancaflor and Rey E. Requejo
