BAGUIO CITY (Apr. 24) — Langiden town mayoralty bet Boyet Castillo escaped danger after his two-vehicle convoy was peppered with bullets while en route to his town from Bangued, Abra’s capital town.

Newly designated Task Force Abra commander, Sr. Supt. Villamor Bumanglag, said Castillo is safe. Bumanglag faces this case as his “baptism of fire” after taking over the sensitive post from Chief Supt. Eugene Martin.

Bumanglag, who took over the post only this Monday, said a group of still unidentified armed men ambushed Castillo’s convoy at around 3:45 early Tuesday morning at sitio Bakir, barangay San Antonio, Bangued while the candidate’s jeep and van were on their way to Langiden.

Three bullet holes pierced the jeep’s windshield, while the van escaped the hail of bullets.

Castillo and his followers reported the shooting incident to the PNP’s 1601st Provincial Mobile Group and Bangued municipal station.

The incident pointed to the continuing skirmishes between rival politicians in this hinterland province, earlier placed under COMELEC control after a series of killings among local politicians and their followers. # Ace Alegre for NORDIS