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Friday, April 27, 2007
2 killed in Baungon town ambush
By Danilo V. Adorador III
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- Two supporters of a Bukidnon provincial candidate died when armed men ambushed their motorcycle convoy Thursday, police said.
Bukidnon Police Provincial Director Juan Ratunil said the ambush occurred at around 4:30 p.m. in Barangay Lingating, a farming village in Baungon town where a municipal councilor was also waylaid by armed elements last year.
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Lawyer Dennis Ausan, Commission on Elections (Comelec) regional director in Northern Mindanao, said he will decide whether to make the municipality an area of immediate concern once the report of the provincial Comelec on the incident comes out.
"We need to assess whether this is politically motivated or not. If it is, then we will act in accordance with Comelec guidelines," Ausan told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro in a phone interview.
Placed under the immediate concern category are areas that have intense political rivalry, insurgency problems, and with past cases of election violence, he said.
The motorcycle convoy belonged to Baungon municipal councilor Joseph Bahuyo, who is running for a seat in the Provincial Board in the province's first district, said Police Senior Inspector Bernardo Delfin, the town's chief of police.
Bahuyo was not among those killed, and reports reaching the town's police said he was being treated for a foot injury in an undisclosed location. The victims were identified as Vicente Abagon and Yassir Apdillah.
Delfin said they were still gathering statements from witnesses.
At least one passerby was wounded in the incident, he said.
Based on initial investigation, the police official said Bahuyo and his 12 companions were riding in four motorcycles and were on their way to the councilor's house in Barangay San Miguel when the ambush occurred.
Recovered from the ambush scene were live ammunitions from at least three high-powered firearms and a fragmentation hand grenade, Delfin said.
It was not known whether Bahuyo and his companions were armed when they were attacked by an unknown number of assailants.
The incident draws new attention to Baungon's peace and order problems.
In March last year, Baungon Councilor Benito Pabillore sustained serious wounds when motorcycle-riding gunmen sprayed bullets on his vehicle while he was on his way to Cagayan de Oro City from Baungon. (Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro. (April 27, 2007 issue)
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