Four supporters of rival mayoralty candidates in the town of Magsingal, Ilocos Sur died in a shootout Saturday, dzBB reported Sunday.

Police also arrested 24 alleged security personnel of two election candidates in Nueva Ecija after allegedly being involved in a shooting incident on Saturday night.

Central Luzon regional police director Brig. Gen. Matthew Baccay said the supporters of mayoralty rivals Mayor Isidro Pajarillaga and mayoralty candidate Virgilio Bote were arrested by police in General Tiñio, Nueva Ecija following a shooting incident at Purok Gulod, Barangay Concepcion around 11:30 pm.

Police who were then conducting a checkpoint nearby went to the area and saw two vehicles, a white Nissan Navarra and a gray Ford Raptor both riddled with bullets.

Also, near the Nissan Navarra were five wounded male suspects identified as security personnel of Bote while 19 others identified as part of the security personnel of Pajarillaga were near the Ford Raptor.

Police confiscated one 12-gauge shotgun and one caliber .45 pistol from the security personnel of Bote while five M16 rifles, 11 caliber .45 pistols, three 9mm pistols, one caliber .40 pistol and one 12-gauge shotgun, 71 cal 5.56 live ammos, 138 cal .45 live ammos, 41 cal 9mm live ammos, 12 cal .40 live ammos, eight shotgun live ammos, six magazines for M16 rifle, 26 magazines for pistols, eight holsters, 20 cellular phones, three handheld radios, campaign leaflets of Pajarillaga were also recovered from his security personnel.

Baccay said the Central Luzon police force is exerting efforts to reduce violence in the four corners of the region.

Nueva Ecija police are preparing criminal charges for frustrated murder and violating the gun ban against the arrested suspects. Robina Asido/DMS