MANILA, Philippines – Gunmen ambushed the law dean of the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) in Ilocos Norte.

Lawyer Ramon Leaño was shot several times on Thursday, February 14 in Barangay Quiling Sur, Batac City, said Supt Jovencio Badua, spokesman of the Ilocos region police.

Leaño is undergoing treatment at the Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center in Batac City.

Badua said two gunmen shot Leaño in different parts of his body. They then fled on board a motorcycle.

The spokesman added that police operations resulted in the arrest of the suspects in the nearby municipality of Pinili.

Badua named them as Jomar Quezada, 24, and Reynaldo Pagatpatan, 32. Badua said Pagatpatan is an active member of the Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit (CAFGU).

Police recovered from the suspects a shoulder bag allegedly belonging to the victim, a homemade shotgun, a .45 caliber gun without markings, and a Nokia cellphone.

The motive for the shooting is still unclear. The shooting happened despite the election gun ban leading to the May 13 polls.

According to the MMSU website, Leaño is the acting dean of the school’s college of law, and vice president for Administration and Business. – Rappler.com