4 dead in ambush of Sulu Mayor convoy

MANILA, Philippines – Four people were killed Thursday when the convoy of a municipal mayor in Sulu was ambushed by fully armed men believed to be followers of the previous mayor, police said.

Ferhana Mohammad, mayor of Omar municipality, was ambushed around 3:35pm Thursday after arriving at the municipal hall to assume office, Senior Superintendent Antonio Freyra, Commander of the Sulu Provincial Police said in a text message Friday.

The casualties were identified as Police Inspector Nasiruddin Jailani, Chief of Police of Omar Municipality, Police Officer 2 (PO2) Ferdinand Gumiraw and PO2 Bandir Majidul, who were part of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Special Action Force (SAF) providing security escort to the mayor.

One civilian, identified as Masudi Abdurahim was also killed in the incident, Freyra said.

PO1 Neptali Roco was wounded along with five other civilians, all of whom are confined in the Sulu Provincial Hospital.

The undetermined number of suspects who were fully armed are allegedly followers of former mayo Hji Ahmad Omar