COTABATO CITY—Unidentified armed men shot dead an incumbent town councilor in Maguindanao on Friday evening.
Warlito Pinuela, town councilor of South Upi, Maguindanao, has become the second elected official killed in the province since the polls in what authorities believe are cases of election-related violence.
A report from the South Upi police said Pinuela was standing in front of his home in Barangay Timanan when unidentified men on a motorbike arrived and opened fire on him around 8 p.m.
Pinuela had just been reelected for a third term. He died on the spot after suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
Two weeks ago, unidentified gunmen also shot dead reelected Councilor Hadie Malaguial of Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao.
The suspects raided Malaguial’s home, fired assault rifles and left the crime scene by firing rifle grenades.