LA TRINIDAD, Benguet (Apr. 27) — Election-related violence continue in Abra as another victim of shooting is now fighting for his life at the hospital, a day after a barangay captain died after he was also peppered with bullets in Bangued, the province’s capital town.

Gil Borreta, reportedly a campaigner of Bangued town mayoralty bet, is now at the Christian Hospital in the town after he sustained three gunshot wounds on his right foot while another two on his left when an unidentified gunman sprung from nowhere and shot him at around 8:00 P.M. Thursday night. The weapon used is still being determined as of press time.

Borreta, a resident of barangay Maoay, San Isidro town, Abra police director Supt. Alexander Pumecha disclosed, claimed he is Valera’s employee prompting policemen to suspect the shooting might be related to the political rivalry in Bangued for the upcoming May 14 polls.

Pumecha however said police has not concluded yet that it was poll-related. He did not discount the rivalries in the province involving politicians that most often than not led to clashes between goons employed by political rivals were the common reasons of violence.

Abra was earlier placed under Comelec control.

Also on Tuesday, a barangay chairman was also peppered with bullets until he died while sitting in front of the Catholic Church also in Bangued.

Eddie Peralta Tadeo, 38, barangay Pagala, Bucay town barangay executive, police said, was sitting in front of the St. James Cathedral in Zone V in Bangued at around 1:45 Tuesday afternoon waiting for someone after he checked for his relative’s remittance from abroad when gunmen armed with caliber 45 pistols shot him twice.

He was rushed to the Seares Hospital, where he died.

Also on Monday, perhaps newly installed Task Force Abra commander Sr. Supt. Vilamor Bumanglag’s “baptism of fire,” a mayoralty candidate and his supporters reportedly escaped death when his two-vehicle convoy was ambushed in Bangued en route to Langiden town, also in Abra. # Ace Alegre for NORDIS