MANILA — A Philippine congressman was shot and killed on Saturday, in an attack the police suspect could be politically related ahead of elections next year.

The lawmaker, Rodel M. Batocabe, 52, an ally of President Rodrigo Duterte, was shot eight times during a gift-giving ceremony for older Filipinos in the eastern Albay Province, according to Senior Inspector Mayvell Gonzales of the local police. A police escort was also killed.

Mr. Batocabe was the first member of the Philippines’ 297-seat House of Representatives to be killed in recent years, but he was the 21st official murdered since Mr. Duterte took office two years ago and began a brutal anti-narcotics crackdown.

At least three of those killed were on a long list of officials whom Mr. Duterte has accused, without providing evidence, of involvement in the drug trade.

According to Inspector Gonzales, who said a motive for the killing had yet to be established, the lawmaker was hit in the head, chest and abdomen, and pronounced dead on arrival at a hospital.

Mr. Batocabe, who was not standing again for Congress, was campaigning for mayor of the town of Daraga in Albay Province in the nationwide elections to take place in May.

Violence ahead of those elections had already claimed several lives. Six days ago, gunmen in the northern Philippines killed Benjamin Okulto, 47, a candidate for vice mayor in northern Pangasinan Province, just yards away from a church.

And last month, gunmen ambushed a convoy in the northern province of La Union, killing two people, including a vice mayor. Eight others, including the vice mayor’s daughter, who is the incumbent mayor, were wounded.

Congressional colleagues condemned Mr. Batocabe’s killing.

Edcel Lagman, an opposition member of the House, said shortly after the killing that he was “outraged and distressed,” and that the killers and those behind them “must be relentlessly pursued, apprehended and brought to justice without delay.”

“The real motive and its malevolent ramifications must be determined and established without sparing anyone,” Mr. Lagman said. “Politics must not be stained by the blood of politicians and partisans.”

Mr. Lagman added that the “culture of violence” in the Philippines must be eliminated, “instead of being perpetuated, condoned and encouraged by those in power.” He did not elaborate.

Former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, now the speaker of the House, offered her condolences to Mr. Batocabe’s constituents and relatives.

“I condemn in the strongest possible terms the killing of an ally and friend,” she said. “Nothing can justify his murder and that of his police aide.”

“I call on our law enforcement agencies to conduct a speedy and thorough investigation to bring all those behind this dastardly act to justice,” she added.

Two weeks ago, Mr. Duterte warned candidates in next year’s local and national polls not to sow terror amid the rising tide of election-related violence.

“Whether you are from the government, whether you belong to my party or you are my rival in politics, do not terrorize, do not intimidate, do not create fear in the voters,” Mr. Duterte said. “If you do that, I will go and arrest you myself. I will drag you and tie your neck to the wheel of an airplane.”

The country is to elect half of the 24-seat Senate, the entire House of Representatives and 18,000 local positions nationwide.

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