Sultan Kudarat. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
TACURONG CITY, Sultan Kudarat, Philippines — The election officer of Sultan sa Borongis town in Maguindanao del Sur province was killed on Monday in an ambush by a group of armed men in the village of Pinguiaman in Lambayong town of Sultan Kudarat province.
Haviv Macabangen Maindan was driving his silver gray Toyota Fortuner on his way home to Lambayong from his office in the neighboring town of Sultan sa Borongis when he was ambushed at 2 p.m. in Barangay Pinguiaman by gunmen riding in tandem on a motorcycle, according to Police Capt. Jetro Doligas, Lambayong police chief.
Maindan died on the spot. His vehicle careened toward the swampy roadside just beside the irrigation canal after the ambush, said Doligas.
Sultan sa Borongis Mayor Allandatu Angas said he was saddened by the death of Maindan, describing the election official as a “dedicated servant.”
“We are deeply saddened by the untimely death of our municipal election officer,” the mayor said in a statement.
Both the police and the local government were yet to determine the motive behind the killing.
Another killing
In Datu Odin Sinsuat town of Maguindanao del Norte province, an electric technician was killed while his wife and child were wounded when they were ambushed along the national highway on Sunday.
Police Maj. Regie Albellera, police chief of Datu Odin Sinsuat, said Haron Maulana, a resident of Barangay Awanga here, was driving his Toyota Tamaraw FX with his wife and child when they were attacked by unidentified gunmen.
His wife, Joy Maulana, and a 16-year-old child were wounded but were already recuperating in a hospital, he said.
Albellera said the family left Barangay Poblacion Dalican heading home when the gunmen opened fire on them along the highway in Sitio Linamunan, Barangay Taviran, here at about 7 p.m. on Sunday.
“The gunmen apparently were only after the driver (Haron) but his wife and child were hit by stray bullets,” Albellera said.
Witnesses said they heard bursts of gunfire from automatic rifles from the two cars tailing the victim’s vehicle.
Police found empty shells for M16 and M14 rifles at the crime scene.