By Edwin Fernandez | Philippine News Agency
GUINDULUNGAN, Maguindanao – Nine people were killed while three were injured in an ambush Saturday (Feb. 12) in a remote village of this town, officials disclosed.
Mayor Midpantao Midtimbang Jr. said the ambush occurred around 8:00 a.m. in Sitio Dam, Barangay Malumanis.
Midtimbang said all except for one remained unidentified.
Of the nine remains found at the ambush site, one was identified as a certain Commander Black Magic, according to a police officer.
Magic’s group, which is from Maguindanao, is yet to be identified.
Midtimbang said the victims were aboard two Sports Utility Vehicles (SUV) traveling in a convoy when ambushed by still unidentified gunmen.
Police counted nine bodies sprawled on the ground and aboard a Mitsubishi Montero and a Ford Ranger.
Authorities rushed the three other victims to a hospital.
“The ambush site is far from a residential area, the nearest home is about a kilometer away,” Sani Sandali, a resident told reporters.
Also, the ambush site is about 10 kilometers away from the national highway linking Cotabato City and the town of Isulan in Sultan Kudarat province.
Forensics experts are still gathering evidence in the area. (PNA) – bny
