Police gunned down in Ramon, Isabela; killer/s remain at large

Ramon, Isabela — A police officer was fatally shot and found dead on a drying pavement in Purok 3, Barangay Bugallon Proper, Ramon, Isabela, on the afternoon of Saturday, November 15, 2025.

The victim was identified as Police Master Sergeant (PMSg) Mario Lopez Jr., of legal age, a resident of San Mateo, and assigned to the San Agustin Police Station.

According to a police report obtained by several local media outlets in Cagayan Valley, residents heard successive bursts of gunfire but initially thought it was just a “testing fire.” Minutes later, they were surprised when police vehicles arrived in the area.

At the crime scene, responding authorities found the lifeless body of Lopez along with more than ten bullet shells. A male bystander reportedly sustained a gunshot wound to the ear, while another person was said to have taken cover moments before the shooting occurred.

The initial investigation conducted by the Ramon Police Station found that the victim was not on duty that day and had traveled to the town around 4:00 p.m. for a supposed corn-buying transaction.

The individual he was scheduled to meet has been added to the list of suspects, as investigators consider him a possible perpetrator behind the killing.

As of this writing, the police are still establishing the motive behind the crime and working to identify the suspects.