Senior Supt. Michael Nicolas |
PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur, April 29 (PNA) -– The
Commission on Elections (Comelec) has placed the nearby municipality of
Midsalip in the list of areas of concern in relations to the conduct of local
and national elections on May 9.
Midsalip is the fourth town to be placed under areas of
concern in this province.
Senior Supt. Michael Nicolas, provincial police director,
on Friday said this came after an election related incident was recorded to
have taken place on Wednesday in Midsalip.
Nicolas disclosed three people, including a 12-year-old
girl, were wounded in the incident that took place around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday
in Purok 4, Barangay Guma, Midsalip.
Nicolas identified the victims as follows: Leonida Ganar,
50; Mario Diosmano, 60; and, Junieza May Dumaog, 12.
Nicolas said they were hit by stray bullets after the
suspect, Michael Umban, opened fire but missed his target, Eduardo Selim, the
barangay chairperson of Matalang, Midsalip.
He said Selim was driving motorcycle when Umban, also
driving a motorcycle, overtook and shot him as the would-be victim was about to
stop in front of the residence of Midsalip Vice Mayor Leonila Angcap, who is a
candidate for mayor.
Selim supports the candidacy of Angcap while Umban is a
supporter Mayoralty candidate Condrado Lumacad.
He said Umban sped off but crashed into the banana plants
50 meters away from the crime scene. The suspect fled on foot.
Angcap said they were conducting voters’ education with
their leaders and supports when Umban shot Selim. She was inside her residence
at the time of the incident.
Aside from Angcap and Lumacad, the other mayoralty
candidate in Midsalip is Nene Lumaad. All of them are formers mayors.
The Comelec has placed the three towns of Aurora, Dinas,
and Tukuran under the list of areas of concern. (PNA)
FFC/TPGJR/HIROHITO D. CADION