Daughter of slain mayor in Rizal, Cagayan shares grief and trauma - ‘My father was shot dead right in front of my eyes’

Cagayan, Philippines - April 23 was supposed to be just another ordinary campaign day for Mayor Joel A. Ruma of Rizal, Cagayan, but what began as a joyful evening  ended in horror after he was gunned down in front of his family with his daughter, Jamila Ruma, standing just feet away from him. 

“My father was shot dead right in front of my eyes,” Jumila said in a heartbreaking statement the day after the incident. 

In a Facebook post, Jamila opened up about the horror she witnessed and the grief their family is now enduring.

As she recounted, Jumila and her family accompanied Mayor Joel at his campaign event in Barangay Illuru Sur, Rizal. It was early evening when they arrived and were overwhelmed by the warm welcome of supporters. The atmosphere was festive, with music and dancing. The mayor, as always, stayed until the very end, choosing to personally thank those who showed up. 

“It was supposed to be a normal campaign day for us. We arrived at Barangay Illuru Sur yesterday (April 23) around 6pm, and we were overwhelmed by the number of people who came to show their support. My father, along with the rest of us, was able to join the baile and mingle with a lot of people. After my father’s campaign speech, food was distributed to our supporters. Many had already headed home, but my dad didn’t want to leave yet; he wanted to stay until everyone else had gone,” she wrote.

The happy moment of the campaign was shattered with gun shots. Something that she will never forget as that time, she was beside her father. 

“We were just sitting beside each other, having a small chat. When he stood up, my eyes were still following him. My mom was watching him too, as we were getting ready to pack up and go home. Then there it was—one shot, fired straight at my dad. He fell down, and then multiple shots followed. My mom and I couldn’t move or get to him because bullets kept being fired in our direction. We all had to hide, as it was raining gunshots for about 20 minutes. Because of that, we couldn’t get my dad to the hospital in time,” she recounted. 

Jumila’s grief is deep and even more painful because of the timing. As she shared, her father was supposed to celebrate his birthday in just five days, on April 29. She recalled that she and her younger sister Pia had already picked out clothes for him to wear for the occasion. 

“We cannot believe that you were taken away from us so suddenly. You were supposed to celebrate your birthday in five days (April 29). We still cannot accept the fact that you won’t be able to wear the presents Pia and I picked out for you to wear on your birthday,” Jumila shared.

Her statement  is more than a daughter’s expression of grief—it is also a message of resilience. In the same breath that she mourns, she vows to carry on her father’s legacy. She calls herself her father’s “ xerox copy,” suggesting that everything he stood for—his principles, his strength, his decisions—now lives on in her. 

“...don’t worry, your Xerox copy na po ang bahala kay Mommy at Pia. Kaya ko ito. You taught me how to be strong! ,” she said. 

A plea for justice 

What happened that  night in Barangay Illuru Sur was more than an act of violence—it was a direct attack on a man who served his town with dedication and on the very heart of his family. The motive behind the killing remains unclear. As the investigation unfolds, Jamila is now pleading for justice for her father, unable to accept the brutal way he was taken from the suspects. She described the act as “unforgivable”, expressing her deep pain and the overwhelming sense of injustice that now looms over their family. 

“No one should have suffered the way that you did. What they did to you was unforgivable, and we will fight to make sure justice will be served. To all our family, friends, and the people of Rizal, please continue to pray for us, especially for the eternal rest of my dad’s soul. JUSTICE FOR MAYOR JOEL RUMA,” she concluded.