A mayoralty candidate of La Paz town, Agusan del Sur was gunned down Saturday while on his way to a campaign rally, raising to six the number of casualties in a rash of election related violence within a week's time. All but one of the six who died last week in what appeared to be election related crimes were contenders for mayoralty posts in various areas.
Authorities have yet to establish the motive of the killing.
Covarrubias said police and troopers from the Army's 62nd Infantry Battalion rushed to the crime scene but were not able to arrest the suspects. Capco was reacting to the series of assassinations in the provinces, the latest of which claimed the life of the elder Torralba. Oscar was the third candidate for mayor slain in Agusan del Sur. The first was Bayugan town mayoralty contender Rufino Amora, who was gunned down around 5 p.m. Tuesday while he and his son were on their way to a campaign sortie. His son was also killed.