TIBIAO, ANTIQUE – Three people were killed while 6 others were wounded in a possible election-related shooting in Tibiao, Antique province early Sunday.

The fatalities were identified as Rogelio Pagsugiron, Edgar Magtulis and Efraim Pagharion. The wounded are Duwan Eraga, Frank Espanola, TJ Molino, Eduard Loseno, Arnulfo Miguel and Andresito Bandoja, Jr.

All of the victims are supporters of Tibiao mayoralty candidate Gil Bandoja.

According to some survivors, they were on their way back to Bandoja’s headquarters at past 2 a.m. on Sunday when gunfire hit their vehicle on the national highway along Sitio Calaugan, Baranagay Poblacion in Tibiao, Antique.

Local police, however, said they shot at the two vehicles after they bypassed a police checkpoint. They added that passengers of the 2 vehicles fired their guns while traversing the national highway.

Bandoja’s camp is preparing multiple murder and frustrated murder charges to be filed against the PNP personnel who were involved in the incident. They also requested the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to conduct separate probes regarding the incident.

Personnel from the Scene of the Crime Operations (SOCO) said they have recovered 2 unidentified firearms and a grenade at the crime scene.