Ambushed Maguindanao del Sur bet claims attack politically motivated
Inquirer files
COTABATO CITY, BARMM, Philippines — A candidate for provincial board member of Maguindanao del Sur who narrowly survived an ambush on Sunday afternoon has claimed that the attempt on his life was politically motivated.
“There are people who were mad at me for joining the party of incumbent Gov. Bai Mariam Mangudadatu,” Muhammad Utti Omar told reporters on Monday.
“That is what I believed, and I am convinced this is the reason why they ambushed me,” he said in Filipino.
Omar did not name any person who wanted him dead.
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Omar is seeking a seat in the provincial board representing the first district of Maguindanao del Sur under the ticket of Gov. Bai Mariam Sangki-Mangudadatu.
Omar, also known as “Datu Baba,” 49, was heading to South Upi town after attending the proclamation rally in Datu Piang town when he was waylaid at around 3 p.m. in Barangay Brar, Datu Anggal Midtimbang town.
He sustained bruises on his right face, just below his right eye, and near his armpit, believed to be due to a shattered windshield.
His driver, Abel Bunsalagat Buisan, 31, of Buluan, Maguindanao del Sur, sustained serious injuries.
Omar, former vice mayor of South Upi, said his four other companions in the Toyota Innova vehicle were unharmed.
Recalling how it happened, Omar said he was seated in the front seat of his vehicle and saw a silver minivan without a license plate parked in the opposite lane.
“Then about three men armed with long firearms alighted from the minivan and opened fire toward us,” Omar recalled. “I told my driver to continue driving until we reached a police checkpoint,” he added.
He said it was his first time running for a seat on the provincial board (not as a reelectionist, as reported earlier).
Despite what happened, Omar said he is pursuing his bid to become a provincial legislator.
Colonel Ryan Bobby Paloma, Maguindanao del Norte police director, strongly condemned the ambush and directed Major Zukarnain Kunakon, Datu Anggal Midtimbang police chief, to intensify the manhunt operation against the perpetrators.
Paloma said responding police personnel from Datu Anggal Midtimbang, led by Kunakon, engaged the ambushers in a brief firefight before they made good their escape.
He said the timely response of Datu Anggal Midtimbang police personnel prevented the ambushers from finishing off the victims, as the attackers hurriedly left the crime scene.
Police found more than 50 empty shells for an M16 rifle and a caliber .45 pistol at the crime scene.
