Abra village chief killed; PNP says 5 more marked for death

Unidentified armed men on Thursday shot to death a village chief from Bucay, Abra, who is reportedly a political supporter of Abra gubernatorial candidate Eustaquio Bersamin Jr., reports reaching the Philippine National Police headquarters in Camp Crame said. Police said the assailants are reportedly planning to assassinate five more village heads from Bucay whose local chief executives are running against the political allies of Abra Gov. Vicente Valera. Chief Supt. Eugene Martin, deputy chief for administration of the Cordillera Administration Region PNP office, identified the fatality as Eddie Tide, 38, married, of Pagala village. He was shot dead in front of the Bangued Cathedral around 10:30 am by assassins armed with cal. 45 pistols. He was hit twice in the body and died instantly. Martin said the victim, along with Aida Basio, Junie Sidson and Mila Sidson, went to Bangued to update money remittance sent by his relatives abroad. The victim was then sitting and resting beside the road while waiting for his companions to arrive. The gunmen approached him and shot him at point blank range. They fled toward Cabuluan village on a motorcycle. The motive of the killing has not yet been established. Last April 24, at 3:45 pm, a group of armed men ambushed the convoy of mayoral candidate of Langiden, Boyet Castillo in sitio Baker, San Antonio village, Bangued while en route to Langiden. One of the vehicles bore three bullet holes in the windshield. The driver managed to maneuver the vehicle to a police station to report the attack. No one was reported injured. - GMANews.TV