Slay try on broadcaster, mayor probed

SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur—Police authorities said they are still trying to determine the identities of suspects and the motive behind Thursday’s separate ambush-slay try on a mayor in Maguindanao and a broadcaster-cum-provincial board member in Surigao del Sur.

One person was killed and several others were wounded when unidentified gunmen opened fire on the vehicle of broadcaster Apolinario Suan Jr. in Bislig City around 2 p.m. on Thursday.

Suan of Real FM, who was elected into his first term as board member of Surigao del Sur, was aboard a Toyota Land Cruiser with his escorts when fired at by van-riding men along the national highway in sitio Tandawan in Barangay San Vicente in Bislig City.

The incident took place about 20 kilometers from the city’s police station, according to an incident report released by the police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

Based on another report by Bislig City police director Supt. Rainier Diaz, Suan was on his way home from the radio station where he was hosting a program when the incident took place.

One of his escorts, identified as Dodong Suan, was killed. The board member sustained gunshot wounds in his right forearm and right leg but was reported to be in stable condition.

His driver, Rocel Alba, and another escort identified as Joebert Hurado were also wounded.

All victims were brought to an undisclosed hospital.

Diaz told the Inquirer that they were looking at all angles, including Suan’s work in the radio, in determining the possible motive for the slay-try.

“We are profiling the victim, establishing his background, to determine what the possible motive could be. From the background, we can probably establish some good leads, which will help us in the investigation,” he  told the Inquirer by phone.

As to the identities of the suspects, Diaz said the police started work on the possible ownership of the van they had used.

In North Upi, Maguindanao, unidentified armed men also fired a rocket-propelled grenade into the convoy of South Upi Mayor Reynalbert Insular as it was passing by Kilometer 28 in Barangay Kibleg in North Upi town at around 5 p.m. No one was hurt.

Chief Inspector Ronald De Leon, the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao police spokesperson, said the explosion missed Insular’s party.

His escorts from the Marines engaged the armed men in a brief gunfight, according to Insp. Mandi Glemao, the North Upi police chief.

Insular was a first-termer, having won as an independent candidate during the May 9 elections. His town was listed as among areas of immediate concern by the Commission on Elections due to intense political rivalries.

A few days after the May elections, unidentified armed men also shot dead reelected South Upi Councilor Warlito Pinuela.