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Saturday, September 29, 2007
Maguindanao ex-vice mayor’s guard staged ambush: councilman
By Malu Cadelina Manar
KIDAPAWAN CITY –- Norodin Matalam, a former vice mayor of Pagalungan, Maguindanao, and his wife were not ambushed last September 19, said a barangay councilman.
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Rather, it was the couple's bodyguards who attacked the group of the Limbalod barangay captain, added Mohammad Andoy, councilman of the mentioned barangay.
Andoy urged the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) to conduct an impartial probe on the armed clash along the Kabacan-Carmen highway that killed six of his relatives, including Limbalod barangay captain Tayatog Guiama.
A total of 11 persons were killed while seven others were injured during the said incident.
In his letter addressed to CIDG North Cotabato chief Marcelo Pintac, Andoy said he was with Guiama when security escorts of Matalam attacked them along the highway in Barangay Kayaga, Kabacan at around 10:45 a.m. of September 19.
Andoy said he was onboard an orange owner-type jeep, along with his relatives, when Matalam's Toyota land cruiser blocked their way. He said one of Matalam's security escorts disembarked from the cruiser and fired shots towards their directions.
Andoy said he managed to elude the attack and proceeded to Barangay Limbalod where he sought help from an Army colonel stationed in nearby town, also in North Cotabato.
Guiama's group was on a separate vehicle, also an owner-type jeep, and it failed to avoid the shots, according to Andoy.
Guiama and his men were fired at by Matalam's escorts onboard a Mitsubishi L200 pickup. Guiama, two of his sons, and three of his escorts died on the spot.
Andoy, in his affidavit submitted to CIDG, refuted allegations that it was their group that first fired the shots at Matalam's group.
Andoy and Guiama were on their way to attend a "kanduli" or thanksgiving of a relative in Barangay Limbalod.
They used the Kabacan-Carmen route because it was the shortest route to Limbalod. They did not expect, however, that Matalam and his group were also on their way to the area at the same time.
Andoy and Guiama are relatives of Pagalungan Mayor Datu Uttoh Montawal, Matalam's staunch rival during the mayoral race in Pagalungan last May 14.
Andoy has sought the help of the CIDG in North Cotabato because he believed that the report made by the Kabacan police on the September 19 incident was biased.
Andoy even asked in his complaint, "How can we stage ambush in an area we considered as Matalam's turf?"
CIDG North Cotabato chief Pintac said they will conduct a probe and invite possible witnesses to shed light on the issue.
Andoy's request for probe was received by Pintac last Thursday.
The September 19 bloody clash left 11 persons dead -- six from Andoy and Guiama's group, one from Matalam's side, and three passengers from a Lawin jeep and multi-cab that were hit by stray bullets. (Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star General Santos. (September 29, 2007 issue)
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