Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 27) — A candidate for barangay chairman in next week’s Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections was injured in a shooting in General Luna, Quezon province Thursday night.
The victim was identified as 63-year-old Ruben Ilagan, a resident and incumbent councilor of Brgy. Malaya, General Luna.
Police said Ilagan was on his way home after attending a meeting near the barangay hall when he was shot four times by two gunmen.
Ilagan—who was hit in the chest—was initially rushed to the Magsaysay Hospital in neighboring Lopez town, then transferred to RAKK Hospital in nearby Gumaca.
Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairperson George Garcia condemned the incident, which he believed was related to the local polls.
“Nakakalungkot sapagkat dadalawang araw nalang halos eleksyon na and therefore itong pagtaas na ito ng bilang ng violence maaaring hindi election-related sinasabay ng kriminal talaga o election-related, we do not distinguish anymore. Basta ang importante dapat maging alerto ang police,” he told reporters on Friday.
[Translation: This is sad news because we are in the last two days before election day and therefore this increase in violent incidents may be election-related or not, we do not distinguish anymore. The important thing is the police should be on alert.]
Garcia reiterated his appeal to the Philippine National Police to boost its efforts against loose firearms and the crackdown on private armed groups.
The manhunt continues for the perpetrators.
General Luna is currently under green category of areas of concern—or generally peaceful.
“There is nothing to panic…Comelec is in full control of the situation in the entire country,” Garcia said.
