FIVE people, including two marine soldiers and a policeman, were injured in a botched abduction in the province of Sulu.
The incident took place around 2:40 p.m. Friday along Scott Road in the village of San Raymundo, Jolo, Sulu.
The victims were identified as Corporal Omar Somcio, Private First Class Marlon Banayag, Senior Police Officer 4 Tubadji Mandangan, Radem Maman, 21, and Dr. Marian Lao.
A military official, who requested not to be identified, disclosed that three unidentified gunmen barged into the clinic of Lao and opened fire hitting the physician and the two soldiers detailed as her security.
The official said the two soldiers were detailed to provide security to Lao since few days ago the physician received a kidnapping threat.
However, Sulu Police Director Senior Superintendent Wilfredo Cayat said it was a shooting incident and not a botched abduction.
He said the suspects shot Mandangan who reacted to the incident while the latter was on his way to Sulu Provincial Police Office.
Mandangan is assigned with the Police Community Relations (PCR) office.
Cayan said Maman, a student and a resident of the village of Tulay, Jolo, was hit in the cross fire. The suspects fled aboard a motorcycle.
Except for Maman, all of the victims were airlifted to Zamboanga City city for hospitalization.