Village councilor killed in Abra

BAGUIO CITY — A village councilor, who was also a supporter of a mayoral bet in Pilar town in Abra, was shot dead around 3 a.m. on Thursday, local police said.

The body of the victim identified as Feliciano Tobias, 58, of Barangay Kinabiti in Pilar town, was found slumped on the road near his motorcycle with multiple gunshot wounds.

Tobias was a known supporter of Nationalist People’s Coalition mayoral candidate Amor Trina Dait.

According to the victim’s wife, Leah Jose, 56, Tobias left their home at around 2 a.m. to go to their storage house.

Farmer Edward Nick Ferido, 32, who was around 500 meters from where the village leader was found, told police that he heard successive gunshots at around 3 a.m.

Nine empty shells of two rifles were recovered from the crime scene.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has declared the province of Abra as an election hot spot in the May 13 elections.

Abra was classified under “category red” along with Mindanao, Jones town in Isabela province, and Lope de Vega town in Northern Samar province. /ee

READ: PNP identifies 701 areas as election hotspots as campaign period kicks off