Zamboanga Sibugay town councilor dead, driver wounded in gun attack

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur –– A councilor of Mabuhay town in Zamboanga Sibugay was killed and his driver wounded in a gun attack on Monday, April 5, in the town center.

A report from the Mabuhay police office said councilor Alvarez Dammang, 45, was on his way to Talusan town aboard a vehicle driven by Alamsa Sabturani, 35, when two unidentified motorcycle-riding gunmen accosted them in Poblacion and opened fire.

The police, citing witness accounts, said the gunmen immediately fled towards the direction of Talusan after pumping bullets on the victims.

Dammang and Sabturani were rushed to the Mabuhay health station, but the councilor was pronounced dead. Sabturani was attended to.

Both victims suffered bullet wounds in various parts of their bodies.

Dammang comes from a political family. His brother used to be the town’s vice mayor.

Investigators recovered spent cartridges of cal. 5.56 firearm from the crime scene, which indicates this could be the weapon used in the attack.

Last February, a lone gunman killed the town’s vice mayor, Restituto Calonge, and a companion outside the municipal hall.

LZB