Reelectionist Camarines Sur mayor, 3 others survive ambush

LEGAZPI CITY — Only a week before the May 13 midterm elections, incumbent Garchitorena town, Camarines Sur Mayor Nelson Bueza, his wife, his running mate, and a driver were attacked by still unidentified armed men before dawn Monday, police said, and survived.

The 57-year-old reelectionist and wife Yolly, 50; Garchitorena town councilor and vice mayoral candidate Marcelo Aragdon, 58; and driver Errol Arcilla, 30, were aboard an SUV and negotiating Fuentebella Highway in Barangay (village) Toytoy when gunmen attacked them around 1:25 a.m.

The victims were going home from Tigaon town, also in Camarines Sur.

Police said aside from gunshots, an explosion was also heard during the ambush.

The four were unharmed, according to police, but the vehicle was damaged by a suspected improvised explosive device.

A joint conference between the Commission on Elections, Philippine National Police, and Armed Forces of the Philippines is scheduled Monday afternoon at the provincial capitol to discuss the incident.

Investigators are trying to determine if the ambush was related to local election.

Bueza and Aragon are running under the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) party. /kga