COTABATO - A local United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (Unicef) worker was shot dead in the southern Philippines, close to where a political massacre occurred this week, police said Friday.

An unidentified gunman shot Nestor Bulahan at a bus terminal in Parang town, Maguin-danao province, on Thursday morning, regional police spokesman Supt. Sigfried Ramos said.

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Bulahan died in a hospital a short time later, he added.

Parang is 45 kilometers from Ampatuan, a town where gunmen allegedly under the orders of a local politician abducted and killed at least 57 people on Monday.

Police gave no details to indicate Bulahan’s murder was linked to the massacre.

“We do not know the motive yet,” Ramos said.

However, it occurred after President Gloria Arroyo placed Maguindanao and nearby Sultan Kudarat under a state of emergency following the massacre.

Authorities had insisted emergency rule, plus an influx of thousands of troops, had brought the area under control.

Unicef released a short statement yesterday confirming an employee had been shot, but giving few details other than that the incident was not believed to be linked to his work.

“A Unicef staff member was shot yesterday. We cannot confirm his identity or current state,” Unicef spokeswoman in the Philippines Angela Travis said in the statement.

“He was not on official duty when the incident happened and the incident is believed to be personal,” Travis added.

Ramos said Bulahan was shot in his stomach while riding a tricycle to meet a friend. (AFP)