MANILA, Philippines - Unidentified gunmen killed a candidate for councilor in a daring daylight ambush in Buenavista town in Quezon province on Thursday.

Senior Superintendent Elmo Francis Sarona, Quezon provincial police chief, identified the victim as Pedro Cabangon, a retired policeman.

Sarona said Cabangon, a Liberal Party candidate, was shot dead by 3 unidentified gunmen in Barangay Lilukin around 11 a.m..

He said they are looking at 3 possible motives for the killing, including the involvement of the New People's Army, personal grudge and politics.

Police have launched manhunt operations against the victim's shooters.

He said witnesses saw the plate number of the shooter's getaway vehicle and the suspects could have escaped to Lopez or Guinyagan towns or were still in Buenavista. -- Report from Sarita Kare, ABS-CBN Southern Tagalog