By Zaldy Comanda
BANGUED, Abra -- A candidate for councilor in Tayum town was reportedly shot while campaigning Tuesday morning.
Alexander Echabe, who was the candidate of PDP-Laban, was shot in the head, a sketchy report by Joey Brillantes, Echabe’s companion, said.
Brillantes said Echabe and his group were campaigning in Sitio Ananao, Barangay Budac, when the gunman approached shot him.
Brillantes said the gunman and his companions then fled.
Brillantes identified the gunman as a barangay chairman and his companions as his brothers..
Abra was declared as category red hotspot are by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on March 19.
The shooting happened on the same day that the Cordillera regional police chief, Brig. Gen. Israel Ephraim Dickson, visited Abra to check on security preparations for the May midterm election.
Dickson had moved around key police officials in Abra as well as changed the mobile force companies assigned in the province.