WARRANT SERVED. Police operatives arrested on Wednesday Kamid Kambal, alias Kamir, one of the suspects in the murder a town police chief in Maguindanao in 2022. (Photo courtesy of CIDG-BAR)
COTABATO CITY – One of the suspects in a 2022 ambush in Maguindanao del Sur that killed two police officers, including the police chief of Ampatuan town, was arrested inside a hospital in Midsayap, Cotabato on Thursday.
Agents of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) presented the warrants of arrest at 4 p.m. against Kamid Kambal, alias Kamir, inside a hospital where he was confined due to an undisclosed illness.
Kambal, a resident of Lapok village, Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao del Sur, was linked to the August 30, 2022 ambush of Police Lieutenant Reynaldo Samson and his subordinate, Corporal Salipuden Endab, in Barangay Kapinpilan, Ampatuan, Maguindanao del Sur.
Lieutenant Colonel Ariel Huesca, CIDG-BARMM regional chief, told the Inquirer that the suspect was under medical treatment in Anecito T. Pesante Sr. Memorial Hospital in Midsayap when law enforcers received information about the suspect.
“Kambal was facing charges for double murder, multiple frustrated murder, murder with less serious physical injuries, robbery and theft before different courts in Maguindanao provinces,” Huesca said.
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Samson and five subordinates were on a pursuit mission but were returning to their station after failing to locate Kamid Kambal, who was facing robbery charges, when they were waylaid in Sitio Pasio, Barangay Kapinpilan.
Police said the ambushers belonged to the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).
Police information showed that the attackers were led by Abdulnasser Sabtulah Guianid and Guipar Abdulkarim a.k.a. Commander Boy Jacket, Sala Tunda, Johari Abdulbasser Guinaid, Phepe Saptulah, Abdulrah Sapal, Bobot Kamsa and Kamid Kambal, all under the Kagi Karialan faction of the BIFF.
On February 18, 2023, Commander Boy Jacket, believed to have masterminded the ambush, was killed during a joint Army and police operation in Tacurong City.