2 injured in Jaen shooting

Two people were wounded Sunday in a shooting incident inside the campaign headquarters of a congressional candidate in Jaen town in Nueva Ecija, which the Commission on Elections (Comelec) had placed under its control. Chief Insp. Carlito Lopez, chief of the Jaen police, confirmed that there were casualties although he added that he has yet to confirm if it was indeed a shootout. Upon further questioning, however, Lopez said that he considered the incident to be "election-related." The victims have been rushed to the hospital. "Nangyari ito sa campaign headquarters ni candidate [for] congressman Padiernos at may mga report din ng vote-buying na nangyayari," said Lopez on dzBB radio. (The incident happened at the campaign headquarters of congressional candidate Padiernos and there are also reports of vote-buying.) Authorities recovered an M-14 and an M-16 rifle, although no arrests have been made. The Nueva Ecija journal website states that a Gay Padiernos was being considered by the ruling Lakas party as a congressional bet in the province's fourth district, where Jaen is located. It added that Lakas was choosing between Padiernos, described as a businessman, and incumbent Rep. Rodolfo Antonino. Last April 26, Antonino's men engaged the group of former Jaen mayor Antonio Esquivel in a bloody shootout that left two people dead. Esquivel is also seeking the congressional seat. The Philippine National Police (PNP), however, later looked into the possibility that police escorts from both camps were the ones who fought it out in the encounter. - GMANews.TV