2 dead in ambush of mayoral bet’s convoy in Abra

BAGUIO CITY—The convoy of a mayoral candidate in the Cordillera province of Abra was attacked at the boundary of Pilar town at 4:40 p.m. on Friday, leaving two dead.

But the primary target, Artemio “Billy Boy” Donato Jr., who is running for mayor of Pidigan town, was unharmed, according to a spot report released by the municipal police of Pilar.

Local sources said the convoy of 11 vehicles was ferrying Donato to Villaviciosa town from Pilar’s Barangay Poblacion when gunmen hidden up a small ridge fired shots at the group.

Responding police officers found a bullet-riddled black Montero sports utility vehicle—with its driver, Kevin Bueno, already dead from a gunshot wound in the head at Sitio Palicad, Barangay Poblacion in Pilar.

The police rushed to the hospital the other injured—Froilan Bueno, the Barangay chair of Quilla in Langiden town, who was shot in the abdomen; and Sonny Bisares Bueno, who was shot in the right leg. It was not clear if the two men were related at press time.

The village chair died while undergoing treatment while Sonny has been confined at Seares Hospital in Bangued town.

Donato is running for mayor of Pidigan against the brother of suspended Vice Gov. Joy Valera Bernos in this year’s midterm polls. He is a former mayor of Langiden, which is now governed by his wife.

Altercation

Police were also investigating reports that Donato had been involved in an altercation three days ago with a prominent political figure.

In 2013, Donato escaped an attempt on his life following an attack on another convoy while he served as barangay chair of Baac in Langiden. In 2023, the police revoked his licenses to own 15 guns.

Abra has been in the spotlight during previous elections due to warring political families with their own private armed groups that the Inquirer revealed in 2005, which was confirmed by a government fact-finding investigation.

Back in January, the towns of Bangued, Bucay and Pilar were classified as “orange” by the Cordillera Regional Joint Command Center, because of the presence of serious armed threats in these Abra municipalities.

It alao designated the Abra towns of Lagayan, Pidigan, Tayum, Tineg, Dolores and Langangilang as “yellow” due to their longstanding history with poll violence.

Only Lubuagan town in Kalinga is also classified as yellow, with the rest of the Cordillera classified as “green”—to signify their are no concerns in these areas once the elections commences in May.