Ex-mayor of San Quintin, Abra shot dead

Jovito Baldos Diaz, former mayor of San Quintin town in Abra province was gunned down in Brgy. Labaan Monday night. Investigators believe politics was behind the killing of Jovito, brother of incumbent town mayor Amador Diaz. The victim was reportedly planning to join the mayoral race in the 2010 polls before the incident took place. Authorities are investigating Jovencio Cochay Florentio, a retired policeman from Barangay Poblacion who is being linked to the killing, radio dwIZ reported on Tuesday. Florentino was reportedly drunk when he shot Diaz, the jail warden of Abra at the time of his killing. Abra was among the provinces identified by authorities as possible election hotspots due to recurring incidents of poll-related violence in the areas. The others are Masbate, Nueva Ecija, Lanao del Norte, lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, and Sulu. - GMANews.TV