INQUIRER.NET FILE PHOTO
ILOILO CITY—Unidentified armed men shot dead two supporters of a mayoral candidate and presidential candidate, Sen. Grace Poe, in Iloilo, Sunday afternoon.
The Philippine National Police has recommended the placing of Estancia town, 154 kilometers northeast of here, as an election watchlist area following the murders, the first election-related killings in the province.
Senior Supt. Roderick Alba, Iloilo provincial police director, identified the victims as Ronald Estandarte and Robert Magarso.
The two died of gunshot wounds about 2 p.m. after armed men riding a motorcycle and a white pick-up fired at them at Barangay Pani-an in Balasan town at the border of Estancia.
The victims were supporters of Melina Requinto, a candidate for mayor under the Nationalist People’s Coalition.
Alba said it was still unclear if there was a shootout.
Police are still determining the identities of the assailants who fled after the shooting.
“We are still conducting an investigation and pursuit operations but we believe this is election-related,” Alba told the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
He said more soldiers and policemen have been deployed to the municipality to prevent further violence. SFM