By Yas D. Ocampo
Davao City – A candidate for barangay chairman here died of a heart attack, Saturday night, without even knowing if he had won or lost in the May 14 Barangay elections.
Amilbangsa Manding, who was making a comeback to a post he once held in Barangay 23C here, reportedly died at around 6 p.m., or three hours after the precincts closed.
He was challenging the leadership of re-electionist Alimodin Usman.
Relatives said the remains of Manding, a Muslim, were immediately brought to Lanao province for burial, in accordance with religious tradition.
Supporters said the rigors and tension caused by the electoral process may have weighed heavily on Manding.
A few days before the election, his supporters clashed with Usman’s followers.
What had started as a mere exchange of blows in Mini-Forrest, which is the other name for Barangay 23-C, turned into a nasty exchange of gunfire and several knife attacks.
Two men were earlier reported to have been wounded in the gun battle.
Barangay 23C is a densely populated area along the city's boulevard area.
Among the voters in the area were the roughly 90 families evicted from a private lot that was demolished upon orders of the court.
The area has been identified as an election hotspot, with police and the Comelec instituting a curfew that started 10 p.m. Sunday, a day before the elections.