Isabela Councilor bet shot.
Following the death of Isabela town’s Vice Mayor who was seeking for reelection, another candidate running for councilor was shot dead by an unidentified gunman in San Isidro Village on Thursday after the death of Jones Vice Mayor Ronaldo Lucas.
According to police reports, Heinrich Apostol, who is a Nationalist People’s Coalition candidate, died from a head wound leaving his companion Jimmy Balmilero harmed but not being treated for a bullet would on his right foot.
Apostol was reported as ally to Lucas who was killed by alleged communist rebels on April 13.
The councilor and his employee was said to have been ambushed during a campaign sortie at the villages of Dicamay 1 and Dicamay 2, far villages which are said to be lairs of New People’s Army rebels.
Barely a year ago, Vice Mayor Florante Raspado was also shot dead inside the Jones municipal hall.
Lucas was reportedly on his way to Dicamay village to distribute cash assistance and relief goods to drought victims when armed men barred his convoy.
According to the reports, the armed group seized Lucas while letting the 8-vehicle convoy pass. The residents of the village later found the body of Lucas in Sition Dinangnang in Dicamay, lifeless.
Basing on the facts that the police gathered regarding the death of Lucas and the councilor, the police continues to conduct investigation.
However, once claimed in an interview in the local radio station that Lucas is involved in vote buying, the same reason that may lead to the death of the councilor.
Army Capt. Edelbert Mendoza, 86th Infantry Battalion Operations officer, said that they did not know that Lucas had gone to the far-flung communities.
While Isabela is under a state of calamity, the Comelec rule says that giving of cash and relief assistance during The campaign season is prohibited as these are forms of vote-buying.