Abra ‘shootout’ leaves 1 dead

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — A man was killed while another was wounded in an alleged shootout between supporters of two political rivals in Tayum, Abra on Monday.

Police said Jay-ar Tanura, 27, was declared dead on arrival at the Abra Provincial Hospital, while Jordan Claustro Barcena was taken to another hospital for treatment of gunshot wounds.

Abra police director Col. Froilan Lopez said that supporters of Councilor Walter Tugadi and mayoral aspirant Kathia Alcantara were campaigning in Barangay Budac when the shooting broke out.

Probers have yet to determine what sparked the shooting and which group fired first.

Responding police officers arrested a suspect and seized two firearms.

Meanwhile, an independent mayoral aspirant was found dead in his house in Zamboanga City yesterday.

Probers said Orlando Negrete, 80, had been dead for four days when he was discovered by his staff at his house in Aurora Village in Barangay Guiwan.

Negrete’s staff said they last saw him on Thursday after a campaign sortie. They said he did not call them since then and their calls were not answered, prompting them to check on him.

Probers said Negrete died of natural causes.