Armed men harass local UNA bets in Maguindanao

COTABATO CITY, Philippines – Bonnet-wearing gunmen harassed a group of local politicians campaigning in Kabuntalan Mother town in Maguindanao on Wednesday, two days before President Benigno Aquino III campaigns for Liberal Party senatorial candidates in the province.

Abraham Samad, United Nationalist Alliance mayoral candidate for Kabuntalan Mother, said he and his campaign supporters were on a house-to-house campaign sortie when blocked by gunmen and ordered to leave.

Samad said he tried to ask why but one of the gunmen pistol-whipped one of his campaigners apparently to emphasize they were serious in forcing them to leave.

Samad said he has reported the matter to the Kabuntalan police force for appropriate actions.

The attack on UNA local aspirants came a day after suspected New People’s Army rebels fired at a political rally of Liberal Party candidates in the hinterland town of Antipas, North Cotabato.

Insp. Felix Fornan, Antipas police chief, said the candidates, headed by re-electionist Mayor Van Cadungon, were holding a rally in Barangay Kiyaab Tuesday evening when two men riding on a motorbike arrived and fired an Armalite rifle.

Nobody was hurt, Fornan said.

Fornan said no police or military were in the rally site in compliance with election laws.

Fornan believed the incident was a case of harassment after intelligence reports said that the NPA rebels were asking permit-to-rally fees.