IMELDA, Zamboanga Sibugay — A local community has been plunged into shock after an incumbent barangay councilor was shot dead in a brazen morning ambush along the national highway here on Monday, May 25, 2026.

The victim was identified by authorities as Edison Magdamit, an active kagawad (councilor) of Barangay Gandiangan, located in the municipality of Imelda.

According to reports from the Zamboanga Sibugay Police Provincial Office, the incident occurred at around 9:20 a.m. Magdamit was driving his motorcycle through Purok Santan in neighboring Barangay San Jose when the attack took place.

Witnesses stated that Magdamit was being closely trailed by two unidentified men riding a Honda Click 125 motorcycle. Upon reaching a section of the national highway, the motorcycle-riding assailants pulled alongside the councilman. The passenger drew a handgun and opened fire multiple times at close range.

Magdamit sustained multiple gunshot wounds and died on the spot. The assailants immediately sped away from the scene toward an unknown direction.

Responding police investigators and forensic teams recovered six empty shell casings from a caliber .45 pistol at the crime scene.

The Imelda Municipal Police Station has launched hot pursuit operations to track down the fleeing suspects. As of writing, investigators are gathering witness statements and reviewing CCTV footage from nearby business establishments to identify the motorcycle and the gunmen.

Authorities are looking into all possible motives behind the killing, including whether the ambush was politically motivated and tied to Magdamit's work as a public official, or if it stemmed from a personal conflict. Local leaders and residents have expressed profound grief over the sudden loss of the village official, urging a swift investigation to bring justice for Magdamit's family.