A man was shot dead while on his way to file his Certificate of Candidacy (COC) for the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) in Midsayap town, Cotabato, on Tuesday, August 29.

Police identified the victim as Haron Dimalanes, a 40 year-old Moro community leader.

According to the police, Dimalanes was about to file his COC in the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office for the position of barangay chairman in Malingao in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Special Geographic Area (SGA) when unidentified assailants shot him.

Dimalenes sustained a gunshot wound from a .45-caliber pistol.

He was rushed to the hospital where he passed away.

Midsayap Municipal Chief Lt. Col. Peter Pinalgan Jr., said investigators are certain that the daring daytime murder of Dimalanes is related to his candidacy for the upcoming election.

Pinalgan said he directed members of the Association of Brgy. Captains to help local police identify the killers for immediate prosecution.

On the same day in Libon, Albay, a man was also shot and killed outside his home, hours after he filed his COC for barangay chairman.