ZAMBOANGA CITY – A group of armed men has stormed the Sulu town of Pata Island past 5 p.m. Saturday but no casualties had been reported so far.
Sulu Vice Gov. Abdusakur Tan said more policemen had already been sent to the area and firefight had been reported.
Brig. Gen. Alan Arrojado, commander of the Army’s 501st Infantry Brigade based in Sulu, confirmed the incident.
He said a company of policemen had been sent to the island but the military has not sent any soldier as of yet.
“If the police request for assistance, we will send troops there,” Arrojado said.
Tan said it appears the attack was political in nature and was the handiwork of the rivals of Pata Mayor Anton Burahan.
Burahan is currently in Manila, he added.
Tan said the attack occurred as text messages circulated in Sulu about Burahan’s alleged plot “to attack civilians whom he considered as not supportive of his reelection bid.”
“That is reportedly a political ploy of his adversaries, one of whom is his nephew,” he said.