A Philippine congressman was gunned down at a Christmas celebration Saturday, police said, the latest violence in a country notorious for deadly political rivalries.
Rodel Batocabe had just finished handing out presents in the central town of Daraga when the lawmaker and his police bodyguard were shot dead by a gunman hiding in the crowd, regional police official Arnel Escobel told AFP. The motive was not immediately clear, but authorities said they were looking into whether the killing could be politically motivated.