Mayoralty bet’s convoy ambushed in Pilar, Abra

BAGUIO CITY (March 1, 2025) -- Still unidentified armed men ambushed the convoy of Pidigan town mayoralty bet, former Langiden town Mayor Artemio Donato Jr. Friday afternoon, killing Kiat, Langiden barangay chairman Froilan Bueno and barangay driver Kevin Bueno.

According to the Cordillera police, around 11 vehicles of Donato Jr. were already enroute towards Villaviciosa town from Poblacion, Pilar at around 4:40PM when fired upon at sitio Palicad, Poblacion.

Donato Jr., now the mayoralty forerunner in Pidigan town, who was unhurt, has not released any statement.

But responding policemen found a black Montero SUV bearing plate number B1 U480 on the side of the road and found Kevin Bueno with a gunshot wound on the head, while Punong Barangay Bueno was hit on the abdomen and Sonny Bisares Bueno who was wounded on the right leg.

Punong Barangay Bueno however succumbed while undergoing treatment at the hospital while Sonny Bueno is still being treated at the Seares Hospital at Zone 4 , in Bangued, the provincial capital.

Crime scene probers found out, Lt. Col. Carol Lacuata, Cordillera police information officer bared, that assailants took cover on the higher ground around 20 meters from the road to launch the ambush.

Lacuata said a dragnet operation is underway, though not naming their suspects or persons of interests yet.