MANILA -- The Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) is now tracking down the five heavily-armed men who shot and killed eight fishermen off Laud Siromon, Barangay Dita, Zamboanga City, Monday night.
"The Joint Task Force Zamboanga is now closely looking and monitoring the developments in the area. The Marine Battalion Landing Team-11 is also currently in the area to assist the Curuan police as investigations are ongoing," Wesmincom spokesperson Major Filemon Tan said.
Tan said the victims were all aboard a fishing boat owned by one Mumar of Sangali.
The Zamboanga City Police Office's initial investigation said the crew was on the way home to Sangali village from Sibuktuk Island when five gunmen aboard two motorboats accosted them.
Lieutenant Commander Alvin Dagalea, commander of coast guard station in Zamboanga, said the armed men boarded the fishing vessel and divested the crewmen of cash and valuables.
He said the gunmen ordered the crewmen to go to the bow area.
"Then suddenly the armed men strafed them," he added.
The police said the seven other crewmen survived as they managed to jump off the boat and swam to nearby Siromon Island.
"Motive of the gunmen was said to be personal grudge between two fishing groups and another angle considered is extortion," Tan said.
Around 8:40 a.m. Wednesday, Barangay Sangali chair Daud Bakil appeared before the Sangali Police Station with Kervin Banahan, one of the survivors, to report the strafing incident.
The other survivors are currently on Siromon Island in Zamboanga City. (PNA/Sunnex)
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