House Deputy Speaker Henry Oaminal and two others seeking posts in Misamis Occidental for the May 2022 elections were wounded in a shooting incident in Tangub City Wednesday night.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has imposed a lockdown in Tangub as dragnet operations are ongoing for suspects in the shooting which occurred in Barangay VII Upper Polao at around 8:45 p.m.

Oaminal, who is running for Misamis Oriental governor, joined PDP Laban and Asenso Ozamiz local party members at a Christmas fellowship party at the Working Coffee when the gunman struck.

Probers said the bullet hit the frame of the glass door, with a splinter hitting former Oroquieta mayor Jason Almonte, who is running for congressman of the province's first district, on the back of his neck.

The slug then hit vice gubernatorial candidate and Lopez Jaena Mayor Michael Gutierrez on the left side of his head.

Oaminal suffered minor bruises in the arm and back of his head.

The three were brought to the Misamis University Medical Center in Ozamiz City but Almonte and Gutierrez were transferred to the Mars General Hospital for an emergency operation.

Oaminal and Almonte have been discharged while Gutierrez is still confined.

A statement on Gutierrez's Facebook page said he is in critical condition at the intensive care unit due to severe brain injury.

Police teams were formed to secure the three local officials. DMS