Cagayan Valley mayor shot after receiving death threats

Cagayan Valley Mayor Joel Ruma received death threats before being shot during a campaign event earlier this week.

According to the Philippine National Police (PNP), initial reports stated that Mayor Ruma had not received any threatening messages, but further investigation revealed otherwise.

PNP Chief Rommel Marbil urged candidates facing death threats to apply for immediate security detail through the Police Security and Protection Group (PSPG).

Marbil instructed PSPG Director to provide temporary security details quickly instead of the usual one-to-two month process.

The PNP reported 58 incidents of election-related violence from January 12 to April 24, 2025, with 30 validated and 8 suspected cases.

This tally is lower compared to previous years, according to the PNP's assessment.