ABRA COUNCILOR BET GUNNED DOWN, EX-BOCAP SURVIVED IN SEPARATE AMBUSH

March 15, 2025 Headlines

BANGUED,Abra

Pilar, Abra Sangguniang Bayan candidate Melchor Gatmen was shot dead at around 5:10 PM Wedneday, March 12, 2025, while he was
reportedly on his way home on board his motorcycle at Barangay Dintan, Pilar. Gatmen, from Barangay Pang-ot Pilar, sustained a gunshot wound on his chest causing his immediate death. The victim had a backrider but was left unscathed. Also on Wednesday in Bangued, Abra’s capital, former barangay Lubong chairman Ruben Balubar, was hurt after he was shot in the leg by an unknown suspect while on his way home along Barangay Agtangao, Bangued.

Balubar was said to heading home onboard his motorcycle when he was fired upon by a still unidentified suspect at around 6:00 PM
Wednesday, March 12, 2025. He was rushed to the hospital and is now recovering from his wound. Several bullet shell casings for caliber. 45 were recovered at the crime scene. The Abra police could not say if these recent separate gun attacks were election-related, though Comelec-Cordillersa had earlier placed both Bangued and Pilar including 8 more towns under the yellow category.

Artemio A. Dumlao/ABN