Man snatches ballot box, councilman shot dead in Basilan

ZAMBOANGA CITY - A suspect disguised as a voter snatched and ran away with a ballot box assigned for two voting precincts in a remote village in Basilan province on Monday afternoon.

Senior Superintendent Mario Dapillosa, Basilan police provincial office director, said the unidentified man snatched the ballot box from a voting precinct in Barangay Bohe Suyak, Ungkaya Pukan town at around 12:50 p.m.

The ballot box was assigned for voting precincts 51A and 51B.

The suspect escaped without being arretested by the police, who were supposed to be securing the polling precinct.

It was not immediately known if the Commission on Clections declared a failure of elections due to the incident.

Meanwhile, an unidentified gunman shot dead a village councilor while on his way to cast his vote in a village in Tipo-Tipo town in the morning.

The victim was identified as Hadji Faizal Mohammad, 59, incumbent councilor of Barangay Bohe Lebbung.

Investigation disclosed that the victim was on his way to the voting precinct when the gunman stopped Mohammad at Sitio Lebbak, Barangay Bohe Baca.

The gunman shot Mohammad during a heated argument.

Police investigators suspect that the killing was triggered by personal grudge.