3 angles eyed in mayoral bet's killing

CAMP DIEGO SILANG, La Union, Philippines – Investigators from the La Union police provincial office here are looking into three motives behind the killing of a losing mayoral bet in Burgos, La Union on Monday.

La Union police director Senior Superintendent Noli Taliño told The STAR yesterday, that the probable motives in the slaying of Nestor Arsitio, 48, incumbent municipal councilor and defeated mayoral candidate, are politics, personal and work-related.

“We are still investigating it if it’s politically motivated, personal or work-related because he just came from work when the incident happened,” Taliño said.

Arsitio, a resident of Barangay New Dalacdac, was gunned down by unidentified motorcycle-riding suspects at around 11 a.m. Monday after attending session at the town hall.

Investigation showed that Arsitio was on his way home along Naguilian Road in Barangay Poblacion when the suspects suddenly appeared and shot him several times with short firearms believed to be .45 caliber.

He was rushed to a hospital in nearby Naguilian town but declared dead on arrival due to numerous gunshot wounds on the different parts of his body. His wife Lowely believed the incident is politically motivated but the perpetrators are still unknown.

Arsitio lost in the May 10 elections to incumbent Mayor Jose Abansi.