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13 days to E-day: Violence looms as key issue


With 13 days before the May 14 elections, voters found their attention being drawn to one of the usual key issues — the conduct of the whole electoral process itself, which threatened to get more violent, somewhat overshadowing usual Labor Day rallies and their clamor for a P125 wage hike. According to a GMA Flash Report on Tuesday afternoon, the Philippine National Police (PNP) tally of election-related violence has risen to 101 since the campaign period started on January 14. At least 25 candidates died in those attacks, though most of the victims, the report said, were village officials. But even boxing champ Manny Pacquiao feared he might become part of the violence tally. P100M for Pacquiao contract? On Tuesday, the World Boxing Council international super featherweight champ accused the camp of his political rival, Rep. Darlene Antonino-Custodio, of offering P100 million to get him killed. Pacquiao said he had police intelligence reports to back his accusation. In an interview with GMA's 24 Oras Custodio reacted calmly but with disappointment. She said that if Pacquiao had grounds for filing charges he should do so, even if they were against his father, former General Santos City mayor Adelbert Antonino. Custodio, an opposition candidate, was among the General Santos City residents, who gave Pacquiao a hero's welcome after he knocked out Jorge Solis last April. Close call? In Agusan de Norte, the campaign convoy of Rep. Angel Amante, son of former Executive Secretary Edelmiro Amante, was fired at by unidentified men on a dusty road on the way to Tungao village in Butuan City. Amante is seeking this city’s mayoralty post under the KAMPI party of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. He is running against Lakas-CMD’s Democrito Plaza II, the incumbent mayor Army 30th Infantry Battalion commander Lt. Col. Isidro Purisima said he had ordered an investigation of the incident. He also appealed to rival parties to remain calm as election day nears. P300,000 reward in Resuello slay In Nueva Ecija, the Philippine National Police (PNP) released sketches of the suspect in the killing of Mayor Julian Resuello of San Carlos City, Pangasinan, and his civilian aide, Eulogio Martinez. Resuello and his aide were shot at a beauty pageant during the city fiesta last Saturday. Seven bystanders were wounded in the attack. Resuello was taken to St. Luke's Medical Center, where he died on Monday. The PNP in Region 1 also offered a P300,000 reward to any person who can help lead to the arrest of the suspect. Resuello is running for vice mayor, while his son, Julier, will attempt to replace him in the mayoralty post. Both belong to the Lakas party. Former Mayor Douglas Soriano, who is going against the younger Resuello in the mayoralty position, denied any involvement in the shooting. The incident has resulted in the placing of the city under Comelec control for the upcoming May 14 polls. Party-list coordinator killed In Davao City, the Sun Star Davao reported on Tuesday, that unidentified men shot dead Josephine Buca, regional coordinator of Alagad party-list, Sunday morning. It said Buca and husband Felix were on their way home aboard a multi-cab vehicle at 10:45 a.m. Sunday when three men on a motorcycle overtook them near Lizada Drive in the city's Lanang district. Police Officer (PO) 3 Alfredo Heliane, Sasa district police investigator, said one suspects fired at Josephine, hitting her on the chest and head. Felix got out and fought with the suspects. He almost disarmed one of them, but the other hit his head with a pistol, Heliane added. The couple was rushed to the Davao Medical Center but Josephine had already succumbed to gunshot wounds on the chest and head. Felix was declared out of danger. Investigators are looking into the possibility that Josephine's killing was election-related, though Heliane also raised the prospect that a land dispute was behind the killing. - GMANews.TV

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