ALBUERA, Leyte — A quiet afternoon shattered into violence after two people were brutally gunned down in a targeted ambush in Barangay Salvacion on Monday, June 15, 2026.

Local police have launched a massive manhunt for the unidentified assailants who fled the scene immediately after the shooting.

According to initial reports from the Albuera Municipal Police Station, the two victims were traveling through a relatively secluded stretch of road in Barangay Salvacion when they were suddenly intercepted by armed men.

Witnesses in the area reported hearing a rapid succession of gunfire. The suspects, waiting in a strategic position along the road, opened fire on the unsuspecting victims at close range, giving them zero opportunity to escape or defend themselves.

Emergency responders and local authorities rushed to the scene after residents reported the gunfire. However, both victims had already sustained multiple gunshot wounds to vital parts of their bodies. They were pronounced dead at the scene by arriving medical personnel.

Crime scene investigators recovered several spent bullet casings from the area, which are currently undergoing ballistic examination.

The Albuera police are actively interviewing residents and looking for any available security or CCTV footage near the entry and exit points of Barangay Salvacion to identify the getaway vehicle used by the gunmen.

While the police have not yet released an official statement regarding the exact motive behind the execution-style attack, investigators are actively exploring several angles. Among the possibilities being considered are personal grudges or long-standing family feuds, as well as potential property or land disputes within the area. Additionally, authorities are looking into possible links to local criminal activity to help identify the perpetrators.

The brazen daylight attack has left residents of the normally peaceful municipality of Albuera in deep shock. Local officials have urged the public to remain calm while assuring the community that law enforcement is doing everything in its power to bring the perpetrators to justice.

The identities of the two victims are currently being withheld by authorities until their immediate families have been formally notified and grieving relatives can safely coordinate with investigators.