PNP: Ambush of Shariff Aguak mayor’s kin linked to January attack

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) believes the ambush in Maguindanao del Sur killing the nephew of Shariff Aguak Mayor Mitra Ampatuan was connected to the attack against the latter last January.

The latest ambush took place on Tuesday morning at the boundary of Sitio Panang, Barangay Kabengi and Salbu, Datu Saudi Ampatuan, according to the Police Regional Office Bangsamoro Administrative Region in Muslim Mindanao (PRO BARMM).

“PRO BARMM believes this ambush is connected to the first incident last January since the victims are the mayor’s nephew and sibling,” PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Randulf Tuaño said in a press briefing in Camp Crame on Wednesday.

READ: Nephew of Maguindanao mayor slain in ambush, 2 others wounded

Tuaño further noted that, according to PRO BARMM, Ampatuan requested to have the nephew be buried on Wednesday, after which their camp will give a statement about the ambush.

PRO BARMM previously identified the slain victim as Datu Morsid, a nephew of Ampatuan.

Meanwhile, it identified two individuals who were injured during the ambush as Lemon Angkad Bangen and Yasser Baganian Ampatuan, the latter of whom is the Shariff Aguak mayor’s younger sibling.

“Based on the initial investigation we received, when the three suspects alighted their vehicle and ambushed them, the mayor’s sibling may have recognized them,” he added.

The attack against the Shariff Aguak mayor took place along the road of Barangay Poblacion in that province last Jan. 25, when four suspects alighted a light vehicle and fired what appeared to be a rocket-propelled grenade at Ampatuan’s vehicle.

Ampatuan survived the attack. /mr