Unidentified gunmen shot and killed an election officer in southern Philippines early Saturday evening, police said on Sunday.

Local election officer Entong Musa was walking on a village road in Tuburan town of the southern province of Basilan at past 6 p.m., when he was attacked by armed men, said Chief Superintendent Bienvinido Latag, regional police chief, adding that the victim, succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds.

Investigations are still underway as to the motive and suspects behind the election official's killing, Latag said.

The incident came as the Philippines prepares for its local village polls to be held on Oct. 25 where over 300, 000 positions for the barangay or village council, the country's smallest administrative division heads are up for grabs. The Philippines is composed of at least 42,000 barangays, or villages.

Elections in the Philippines, whether for local or national positions, are often marred by political violence, fraud and disenfranchisement, with warlords and more than a million loose firearms often playing major roles in election results.

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