Local LP leader slain in Abra

ABRA, Philippines - A local leader of the Liberal Party in Dolores town was gunned down Saturday, police said on Monday.

Chief Superintendent Benjamin Magalong, director of the Cordillera regional police office, identified the fatality as Tirso Talledo, 32, of Barangay Libtec in Doloros town.

Magalong said that Talledo, a local leader of Dolores mayoralty candidate David Guzman of the Liberal Party, was on his way home when he was stopped and shot at close range by four armed men at the Cabaroan-Libtec Road on Saturday morning.

Bullets from a .45 pistol and a 9mm pistol were recovered by crime scene investigators.

Magalong said policemen arrested one of the gunmen and seized two motorcycles used in the assassination during a pursuit operation.

He declined to name the suspect, who is an alleged "ward" of another mayoralty bet.

“We just received information that one of the suspects tried to kill the local Liberal Party leader in 2010, but failed,” Magalong said.

He said that "pieces of evidence indicate it is related to politics."

Magalong said that he has already ordered Abra police provincial director Benjamin Lusad to ascertain the motive of the killing.