Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal Adiong Jr. (Photo by the Philippine Information Agency)
MANILA, Philippines — Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal “Bombit” Adiong Jr. is now recovering after a successful surgery to take out the bullet that hit him in an ambush in the province, his brother Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia A. Adiong said on Saturday.
“He’s out of danger, thank God,” the representative said in a radio interview on Saturday. “Because our family was fearing for his life when we first heard about what happened.” The representative said it was the first time in Lanao del Sur that anyone tried to kill an incumbent governor.
“No one ever tried to attempt to kill him. Although in the course of politics, we have adversaries, but not to the point that someone made a threat on his life or our family,” he added.
He said members of their family were all “surprised” by the murder attempt, saying “we don’t know of any enemies [the governor] had before.”
The Adiong family and the siblings’ maternal Alonto family are among the most powerful and influential clans in Mindanao.
“We’re looking at every possible motive. We cannot discount politics because of what happened yesterday. There’s really an intentional attempt on his life,” he added.
The 57-year-old governor was declared in stable condition after the surgery at Bukidnon Provincial Hospital in Kalilangan town, but he needed to remain under intensive care, his physicians said.
The police said Adiong’s convoy was enroute from Marawi City to Wao town in Lanao del Sur when they were attacked by the perpetrators along a road in Barangay West Poblacion in Kalilangan town in Bukidnon province.
Four were killed in the attack—Adiong’s driver who was only identified as Kobi and three members of the governor’s police security detail: Staff Sgt. Mohammad Jurai Adiong, Cpl. Johanie Sumandar and Cpl. Jalil Cosain.
Adiong and his aide Ali Tabao sustained gunshot wounds.
Gun licenses suspended
Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr., chief of the Philippine National Police, ordered on Saturday the suspension of all civilian gun permits in the provinces of Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur plus 63 barangays in North Cotabato, which are under the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
Azurin, who is in Baguio City for the alumni homecoming of the Philippine Military Academy, said investigators were looking at the possibility of a clan feud, called “rido,” but all other angles were being considered.
Meanwhile, Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos and Vice President Sara Duterte condemned the attempted murder of Adiong and urged law enforcers to bring the perpetrators to justice.