TEGUCIGALPA -- A man seeking the nationally governing Liberal Party's nomination for mayor of the northern Honduran town of Morazan was gunned down Friday by unknown assailants, police said.

Julio Cesar Padilla, an engineer by profession, was a member of the Liberal faction headed by journalist Eduardo Maldonado, one of five candidates vying to be the party's 2009 presidential nominee.

A police spokesman told Tegucigalpa's Radio Cadena Voces that Padilla was killed around 6 a.m. when he arrived at his clothing store in Morazan's market.

His murder comes just weeks before the November 30 party primaries to select candidates for Honduras' December 2009 general elections.

On Wednesday, candidates for mayor and deputy mayor of another northern municipality, La Lima, were shot by attackers laying in wait outside the home of one of the politicos.

While main opposition National Party mayoral hopeful Hector Arita survived the shooting, running mate Danilo Castro was killed. EFE