An employee of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat was shot dead while an aspirant for governor was wounded in a separate shooting incident in General Santos City.

The 31-year-old employee of COMELEC-Isulan, Sultan Kudarat was shot in the head by motorcycle-riding gunmen in Barangay Poblacion, President Quirino town while he was heading home from a barber shop.

The victim did not reach the hospital alive.

Authorities recovered six empty shells of an unknown firearm from the crime scene.

Hot pursuit operation against the suspects continues as investigators determine the motive in the killing, as of this writing.

Meanwhile, a man who is running for governor in Sarangani Province in the 2025 elections is in critical condition, as of this writing, after he was shot by motorcycle-riding gunmen in Barangay City Heights, General Santos City.

The victim, Gladden Lim, sustained two gunshot wounds in the stomach and is recuperating in the hospital.

Police said the victim was heading home from church when the incident happened.

Investigators are eyeing personal grudge as possible motive.

“Na-istoryahan nato ang iyang asawa nga naa gyud sila’y threat ang iyang bana. Dili sa  iyang pagdagan sa governor kung dili tungod sa away sa yuta, land dispute, personal grudge… naa tay person of interest ana, subject for additional information pa,” General Santos City Police Office Director, Col. Nicomedes Olaivar Jr., said.

COMELEC-12 has yet to confirm if the incident was an election-related violence.

“Pre-mature kung (ingnon) siya nga election-related (violence) kay dili man tanan killings especially kung kandidato, dili ta kaingon nga election-related. I-check nato tanang angle ba. Panawagan nato sa atong katawhan, especially sa Region 12, hopefully, we will remain vigilant, we will remain steadfast sa atong gipanghimo ba. Sa ato pong mga kandidato, we should refrain from in a way going to violence,” COMELEC-12 Director, Atty. Wilfred Jay Balisado, said.