ZAMBOANGA CITY—An aspirant for barangay chairman was killed in an ambush while another was injured in a shooting incident in Zamboanga del Sur, the police reported Monday.
The incident happened six days before the filing of the Certificate of Candidacy for the forthcoming barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.
Chief Supt. Edwin De Ocampo, deputy regional police director for administration for Region 9, said the shooting incident happened Sunday afternoon at Purok 3, Barangay Barubuhan in Sominot, Zamboanga del Sur.
De Ocampo identified the fatality as Rolando Labad, who succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds.
Labad’s companion, Carlito Murcia, was hospitalized for a bullet wound on his right leg.
Two other companions of the victims, Santiago Miñoza and Enrico Estrada, were unharmed as they managed to run and hide for safety.
De Ocampo said the victims were ambushed by unidentified gunmen while they were in a motorcycle convoy traveling from Barangay Poblacion to the residence of Miñoza.
He said a team of responding policemen recovered at the ambush site 42 empty shells, two live ammunitions of M-16 Armalite rifle, and two empty shells of .45 cal. pistol.
Authorities are eyeing political rivarly as possible motive.