ONE person was killed while three others, including a village official, were wounded in an ambush in a remote town in Basilan province, the police reported Thursday, November 3, 2022.

Police Colonel Richard Verceles, operations chief of the Area Police Command-Western Mindanao, said the incident happened around 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, November 2, in Sumisip Central village in the municipality of Sumisip, Basilan.

Verceles identified the fatality as Ismael Halik, who died instantaneously from multiple gunshot wounds.

Wounded were Ahya Alpara, the village chief of Guiong, Sumisip; Adil Alpara; and Hadidja Alpara.

Verceles said investigation showed the victims were aboard a pickup truck on the way home to Guiong village coming from Isabela City when ambushed by unidentified persons armed with M-16 Armalite rifles.

He said the wounded victims were brought to Basilan General Hospital in Isabela City for medical treatment.

Verceles said the remains of Halik was turned over to his family for proper Muslim burial rites.

He said investigation continues to establish the motive as well as the identities of the suspects behind the incident. (SunStar Zamboanga)