The incoming mayor and vice mayor of Lupao town in Nueva Ecija province of northern Philippines were shot dead before midnight Friday, although they had won the local officials' election in May, a local radio reported on Saturday.

Mayor-elect Alfredo Vendivil and his cousin, vice mayor-elect Virgilio Vendivil were shot dead in an ambush staged by five gunmen in San Jose City, dzRH radio reported.

Police are still looking into whether politics was involved in the killing, the report said. The mayor-elect is popular with local people and adopted a low profile, it added.

At least seven others were wounded in the shooting incident which took place at a local derby arena at about 11:30 p.m. Friday, according to the police.

"There was a break in the derby and people were going out to eat. Suddenly shots rang out and people panicked," police spokesman Frolian Tolentino was quoted as saying.

Citing initial information reaching him, he said the suspects " casually" walked out of the arena after the shooting. He added that a police task force has been formed in a bid to arrest the suspects.

Dozens of violent incidents have been reported during and after the Philippines' mid-term election season this year. Several candidates for local government officials and some of their supporters were murdered due to the feud among local political clans.

Source: Xinhua