( dpa ) - A 60-year-old trial court judge in the eastern Philippines was killed in an attack by a suspected hired assassin, police said Tuesday.
Judge Roberto Navidad was attacked Monday evening after buying medicine at a drugstore in Calbayog City in Samar province, 585 kilometres south-east of Manila.
Chief Superintendent Abner Cabalquinto, a provincial police director, said Navidad died on the spot after being shot in the face by the gunman.
He said investigators believed the attack was related to Navidad's work.
"We will look into his controversial cases," he said. "We believe that the gunman was a hired assassin, so this could be a hard case for investigators to crack."
Cabalquinto said a task force has been organized to investigate the killing, and urged Navidad's colleagues, co-workers and family to help in the police probe.