Two people died, including the husband of a Central Philippines mayoralty candidate last as violence stepped up days before Filipinos take to the polls for the mid-term elections. A report reaching Manila said Jun Apura and his companion identified only as Espaldon were ambushed by heavily armed men in the village of Anabo in Lemery, Iloilo, mortally wounding the two who later died at a local hospital. Jun Apura is the husband of Mayor Ligaya Apura who is seeking reelection.
According to state-run Philippine News Agency, police who conducted pursuit operations arrested a certain Mario Cobarubias. The suspect was caught in possession of an assault rifle and two hand grenades.
The incident involving Apura is the latest as election related violence across the country intensified seven days before the May 13 mid-term elections where Filipinos will vote their next set of senators and local leaders from congressmen, governors, mayors, councillors and others.
Election hostilities have been occurring with eerie intensity. In Manila, a bottle throwing incident in Sampaloc district marred a political rally held by the opposition United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) last Sunday.