3 Dead, 1 Wounded in Masbate Barangay Polls

CAMP ELIAS ANGELES, Pili, Camarines Sur (27 Oct)-THREE PERSONS died and another critically wounded in the latest incidents of political rivalry in the island province of Masbate, after Barangay and SK Elections were postponed for Tuesday (Oct. 26) with the late arrival of election ballots and paraphernalia prompting COMELEC to extend elections for another day.

In a report by the Army's 9^th Infantry Division spokesman Major Harold Cabunoc based on official PNP report from Senior Police Officer 1 Samuel Barredo in Cawayan, Masbate, political supporters of incumbent Gilotong barangay captain Jeffrey Malagad were ambushed  at about 5:00 P.M on Monday (Oct. 25) by suspected supporters of rival barangay captain candidate Gelyn Bacolod.

SPO1 Barredo identified the fatalities as: Bienvenido and Tranquilin Malagad, both confirmed siblings of barangay captain Malagad who were seeking re-election.

Another relative, Jekyll Malagad, was seriously wounded by gunfire on his left knee and later rushed to a local hospital for treatment.

It was also reported that another Miguel Daligdig was killed when the group of Malagad fought back during the ambush using bladed weapons; the victim sustained hacked wounds inflicted by one of Malagad's supporters.

On Tuesday, Chief of Special Task Force Masbate, Police Sr. Supt. Henry Rañola immediately sent additional augmentation force to guard polling precincts in the island barangay of Gilotong in Cawayan town.

Police investigators in Cawayan, Masbate reported that the suspects who were presumed supporters of the rival candidate have not been identified.

Malagad's supporters have accused Bacolod's group as those responsible for the ambush, having occurred in the bailiwick area of the rival barangay captain candidate.

Considered a "hot spot" area both with the intense political rivalry and the threat of communist rebels, Masbate province has concluded the Barangay and SK election on Tuesday except for several remote coastal villages, where the election was extended until Oct. 27.  (SONNY SALES)