Two more candidates in Philippine election killed: Police

Two more politicians in the Philippines have been assassinated amid rising violence ahead of national elections in May, police said on Thursday.

Cotabato: Two more politicians in the Philippines have been assassinated amid rising violence ahead of national elections in May, police said on Thursday.

The killings yesterday saw one victim gunned down outside a church in the central Philippines and the other, a member of the ruling coalition, shot in a southern province that is notorious for its ruthless political culture.

Both men were candidates for mayors in small towns, and bring the number of people reported to have been killed in the run-up to the elections to at least 65.

In one of the incidents, two motorcycle-riding gunmen fired repeatedly at Luis Mondia, 55, outside a Catholic church in the central city of Jaro, local police investigator Horizon
Villanueva said.

After sustaining gunshot wounds to his neck and shoulder, Mondia -- who was planning to run for mayor of Pulupundan -- died hours later in hospital, Villanueva told reporters.

In the other killing, gunmen killed Errol Sinsuat, a member of President Gloria Arroyo`s ruling party, as he drove his motorcycle through Cotabato city, local chief of police Senior Superintendent Willie Dangane said.

A policeman who responded to the shooting was also fired upon and wounded, Dangane said.

Sinsuat, 38, had been planning to run in the national elections for mayor of Blah Sinsuat, just outside Cotabato City in Maguindanao province. His killing was likely related to politics, Dangane said.

PTI

Zee News App: Read latest news of India and world, bollywood news, business updates, cricket scores, etc. Download the Zee news app now to keep up with daily breaking news and live news event coverage.