A councilor in the town of Antequera who was shot by an unidentified suspect on Thursday may have had his life saved by a malfunctioning pistol.

According to Antequera Senior Insp. Cesar Acompañado, Councilor Jose “Julagon” Barrera, 53, was shot by the lone gunman at 5 p.m. as the victim was parking his vehicle in front of his house in said town.

After hitting Barrera in the shoulder, the gunman reportedly tried to shoot the victim in the head but the firearm malfunctioned prompting the suspect to flee.

After the incident, Barrera, who is now in a stable condition, reported to Acompañado that there had been a threat on his life due to his work as a legislator in the town.

However, Acompañado did not disclose the identity of the person who the councilor is reportedly at odds with and the possible gunman.

Police investigators in Antequera continue to probe the incident to identify the suspect and motive behind the shooting of the councilor. (Allen Doydora)