Manila, Aug 12 (IANS): Local police said that three gunmen opened fire at a village hall in Pampanga province, north of Manila, killing a village leader.

Police said the shooting occurred around 8:30 p.m. local time on Sunday in Arayat town in front of the village hall, an office where the village leader conducts his administrative business.

A surveillance video clip showed a dark-color car stopped in the middle of the narrow street in front of the hall where the victim was meeting with a group of people, Xinhua news agency reported.

The attackers jumped out of the car. One of them, armed with an M16 rifle, peppered the hall with bullets, hitting the village official six times in the body. Two other men fired shots in the air. The gunmen immediately fled the scene after the shooting.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Jaime Edejer, spokesperson of Pampanga police, told local television that politics might be the motive for the killing, saying that the victim plans to run for vice mayor in Arayat town in the midterm elections next year.

Police are continuing the investigation. According to the victim's family and supporters, the slain politician has survived two assassination attempts in 1999 and 2001.