Abra pol’s aide slain

BANGUED, Abra, Philippines – Unidentified assailants shot dead an aide of a municipal mayor and congressional candidate in La Paz town on Friday night.

The killing occurred less than a day before the signing of a peace covenant among political leaders and officials of the Cordillera police yesterday.

Noel Belena, 61, secretary of La Paz Mayor Joseph Bernos, was driving a motorcycle when he was killed at around 11 p.m. in Barangay Canan.

Belena died from two gunshot wounds in the back.

Bernos, who is running for Abra’s lone congressional seat in 2016, said the killing was politically motivated.

He said Belena had no known enemy, adding the victim was active in local politics.

Bernos appealed to authorities to immediately solve the killing, noting it occurred in the wake of the signing of the supposed peace covenant.