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Thursday, September 20, 2007
10 killed, 3 hurt in ambush of Maguindanao ex-vice mayor
DAVAO CITY –- Ten persons died and three others were injured, including the former vice mayor of Maguindanao and his wife, following a gunfight in Carmen town in North Cotabato on Wednesday.
Norodin Matalam, along with his wife and bodyguards, were traveling past Barangay Lumayong at around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday when a jeep with 10 armed men passed by their two vehicles and started shooting at their convoy.
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Eastern Mindanao Command chief Cardoso Luna said the assailants belong to the group of a village chief identified only as Tayatog. The assailants were reportedly wearing military fatigues similar to those worn by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) members.
Superintendent Danilo Bacas, operations officer of the PNP Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, said the fatalities included a young boy who was caught in the crossfire between the warring sides.
Tayatog, along with six companions who initiated the attack and Matalam’s driver-bodyguard, and two civilians -- including the boy -- were killed in the brief firefight.
On the other hand, Matalam and his wife suffered injuries but authorities said they were not serious. Another wounded was a civilian, who was also caught in the crossfire, authorities said.
Matalam was a former vice mayor of Pagalungan, Maguindanao. He belongs to an influential Muslim political clan.
Police said the incident could have been triggered by Matalam’s election protest after he lost in the mayoralty race in Pagalungan town during the last May 14 senatorial and local elections.
Superintendent Bacas said the group of Matalam was on the way to Barangay Kilangan in Datu Montawala, North Cotabato when they were fired upon by the suspects. It was not clear what Matalam’s group was going to do in the area.
According to Bacas, additional policemen have been deployed to the town to prevent escalation of violence arising from the shooting incident. (BOT/VR/Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Iloilo. (September 20, 2007 issue)
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