A candidate for municipal councilor was shot dead in Barangay Dintan, Pilar, Abra on Wednesday afternoon, March 12.

GATMEN'S body lies on the road after he was killed. (Abra Today FB)
Police identified the victim as Melchor Gatmen, a resident of Barangay Pang-ot, Pilar.
The victim was a candidate for councilor of Pilar in the May elections.
A photo on Facebook showed the victim sprawled on a grassy part of the roadside.
Investigation said the victim was driving a motorcycle on his way home at 5 p.m. when a lone gunman appeared and shot him in the chest.
The victim sustained multiple bullet wounds and died on the spot.
The gunman fled and the subject of a manhunt.

Netizens and relatives condemned the killing that happened some two weeks before the start of the local campaign period.
Police tagged Pilar as well as the provincial capital Bangued as election hotspots. They were placed under the "orange" category -- areas considered to have serious armed threats.
Weeks earlier, a barangay captain in Abra was also gunned down. Two of his companions were also killed and wounded.
Lawmen are conducting further investigation.