6 killed in shooting rampage inside militia outpost in S. Philippines

A pro-government militiaman shot dead five of his colleagues and then he was killed by police in southern Philippines over the weekend, a police official said on Monday.

The massacre at a militia outpost in Palid village, Ipil town, in the western Philippine province of Zamboanga Sibugay, occurred around 7 p.m. Sunday, when Olegario Bucal started firing his M-14 assault rifle towards his comrades who were watching television inside the camp, Major Arnold Gasalatan, spokesperson of the army' s 1st Infantry Division, said.

Gasalatan said the victims all died almost instantly due to multiple gunshot wounds.

The armed suspect then fled and a chase by police and military personnel led to a brief shootout which resulted to his death, the military official said, adding that an investigation is underway.

Sunday's massacre came days after a former rape convict burst into two classrooms in a village in the regional capital of Zamboanga city and knifed students, teachers and a visitor. Three victims were killed and six others were seriously wounded, before angry villagers killed the suspect.

Source: Xinhua