TWO persons were killed while eight others were wounded in an ambush in the province of Zamboanga del Norte, a military official said Thursday.

Western Mindanao Command (Wesmicom) spokesman Major Ramon David Hontiveros said the incident took place around 3 a.m. Wednesday in village of Salvador, Gutalac, Zamboanga del Norte.

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No identities of the victim, who are all passengers of Alga Bus Lines, were immediately available.

The wounded victims were rushed to the district hospital in the town of Liloy, Zamboanga del Norte.

Hontiveros said the bus was traveling from Gutalac to Dipolog City, the capital of Zamboanga del Norte, when a group of unidentified gunmen staged the ambushed in the vicinity of Canuto Elementary School in Salvador, Gutalac.

The suspects fled to unknown direction and remain unidentified.

Hontiveros said responding lawmen have recovered several empty shells of M-16 Armalite and M-14 rifles at the ambush site.

He said the police and military in Zamboanga del Norte are conducting deep investigation to unmask the suspects. (Bong Garcia)