By ARTHA KIRA PAREDES
BANGUED, Abra.–Four men, including a barangay councilor of this town, were wounded in what police confirmed was an ambush in Barangay Malamsit, Peñarrubia early this afternoon.
The victims were with Bangued mayoral candidate Ryan Luna aboard a three-vehicle convoy which had just come from a campaign sortie in Barangay Sappaac when they were ambushed sometime between 1 and 1:30 p.m.
Robert Victor Seares, Luna’s cousin, identified the victims as Kevin Ducayog, 19, of Barangay Bañacao who was shot on the thigh and Rolly Boy Barbieto, 29, who was shot on the stomach.
Romeo Mangawang, 44, a councilor of Barangay Dangdangla where Ryan is a barangay captain, was shot in the lower back.
Police identified the fourth victim as Chito Siobal, 36, of Barangay Lingtan in Bangued, who also sustained gunshot wounds in the lower back.
Seares, himself a mayoralty candidate in Dolores town, said the victims are all “campaign supporters” of Luna. They were rushed to the Abra Provincial Hospital.
The convoy consisted of three army weapon type trucks. The victims were on board the third truck.
Seares said Ryan was also aboard the third truck but his supporters took precaution and transferred him to the second truck when they saw a vehicle belonging to incumbent Mayor Dominic Valera who is running for reelection.
Peñarrubia police chief Senior Inspector Silverio Ordinado, who was at the scene of the crime, said they collected 17 empty shells of an M16 rifle.
The incident took place near Gov. Eustaquio Bersamin’s tilapia farm.
Ryan’s mother, Rep. Cecilia Luna, suspects the gunmen were “goons of Dominic” Valera.
“He hides his goons in Cabuluan, Lusuac and Maoay,” she said.
In response, Valera said he was in Barangay Sao-Atan the entire day campaigning from house to house. He denied any hand in the incident and said that it is the Lunas who have a private army.
The Philippine National Police initiated the signing of peace covenants in all Abra towns last month, but Bangued candidates refused to sign any agreement. Only 17 out of Abra’s 27 towns are covered by peace covenants.