MANILA, July 11 (Xinhua) -- A local official of Sapa-Sapa town in Tawi-Tawi, an island province in the southern Philippines, was shot dead on Wednesday in Zamboanga City.

Police said the victim, Sapa-Sapa town Vice Mayor Al-Rashid Mohammad Alih, 53, was aboard his car when ambushed by gunmen on a motorcycle past 5 p.m. local time on Wednesday.

Police said Alih was seated in the passenger seat during the attack. The driver was unharmed and managed to rush the victim to a local hospital.

Alih died later at the hospital of gunshot wounds in the chest, police said.

Alih is the fourth local official to be killed in nine days.

Last Saturday, Trece Martires town Vice Mayor Alex Lubigan was shot dead in Cavite City. Mayor Antonio Halili, 72, of Tanauan town in Batangas province was assassinated on July 2 as he presided over the flag ceremony on the ground of the city hall. A day after Halili was gunned down, Mayor Ferdinand Bote, 57, of Gen. Tinio town in Nueva Ecija was also shot dead in Cabanatuan City.