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Tuesday, October 07, 2003
College exec survives S. Cotabato ambush
By Ben O. Tesiorna
A TOP ranking official of a state college in Cotabato City survived unscathed an ambush on their convoy at Tantangan, South Cotabato Monday morning.
Undetermined number of armed men allegedly ambushed the L300 van Dr. Dinggan Ali, president of Polytech State College, was riding with nine other passengers.
Two of his companions, identified as Pastor Tagora and Tho Simpal, were wounded. The two were brought to the Marbel Doctors Hospital where they are presently confined.
Brig. Gen. Agustin Demaala, commanding general of the Army's 301st Brigade, said the ambush happened 8:45 Monday morning in Barangay Mangilala.
Demaala said the assailants armed with high-powered firearms immediately fled from the area onboard two motorcycles.
Police authorities are now investigating the incident. Demaala said the motive could either be job-related or political in nature.
This is the second ambush against a government official within a span of one week. Last Friday, three executives of the National Irrigation Authority (NIA) were killed and at least 17 others were injured when unidentified persons lobbed a grenade at a mosque inside the NIA regional office compound in Midsayap, North Cotabato.
The explosion occurred around 12:15 p.m. while the victims were inside the mosque praying.
Maj. Gen. Generoso Senga, commander of the Army's 6th Infantry Division based in Awang, Cotabato, said two people were seen milling around the mosque shortly before the blast.
He said NIA director Makmud Minding was obviously the target of the assailants as the grenade was thrown near him while he was praying inside the mosque.
Aside from Minding, two others died. They were identified as Umarkais Mamalac, an engineer, and Imam Ismael Abdul Kadil.
The injured were brought to the nearest hospital for medical attention.
Senga said his command believes that the motive of the crime was personal and has nothing to do with any religious conflict.
Meanwhile, Undersecretary Zamzamin Ampatuan, executive director of the Office on Muslim Affairs, said the Midsayap bombing is an act condemnable in the strongest possible terms and called on authorities to conduct an objective investigation.
He called on the people to refrain from wild speculation, as this can easily be used to inflame emotions and pit Muslims against Christians.
"The perpetrators must be isolated and brought to the bar of justice," Ampatuan said.
He also offered his deep sympathies to the family, relatives and friends of the victims.
Cotabato Gov. Manny Piņol, in an interview, said the incident is not a war against religion. He theorized that it is a personal grudge against the NIA regional director.
(October 7, 2003 issue)
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