Pangasinan vice mayoral candidate shot dead

DAGUPAN CITY – A town councilor, who filed his candidacy for vice mayor in the Pangasinan town of Sto. Tomas, was shot dead outside a church at about 10:40 a.m. on Sunday.

Councilor Benjamin “Junjun” Oculto had just come out of the Jesus Christ Church and was crossing the road when gunmen jumped out of a parked vehicle and shot him.

The assailants then engaged responding policemen in a gunfight. One suspect identified as Junjun Vidal was arrested.

Vidal, who was wounded in the firefight, was reportedly from Bataan.

Oculto was rushed to the Dr. Chan Hospital in Rosales town where he was declared dead on arrival.

Earlier on October 4, Councilor Ely Arciaga Ramos survived an attack in front of his house in Barangay (village) Poblacion. /cbb