Maguindanao del Sur reelectionist board member survives ambush
COTABATO CITY – A reelectionist candidate for provincial board member of Maguindanao del Sur and his driver were injured in an ambush Sunday afternoon by still unidentified gunmen in Maguindanao del Norte.
Maguindanao del Sur First District Board Member Datu Baba Omar were on board a black Toyota Innova heading for Datu Odin Sinsuat when ambushed by still unidentified gunmen about 3 p.m. along the borders of Datu Odin in Maguindanao del Norte and Datu Anggal Midtimbang towns in Maguindanao del Sur, according to Maguindanao Board Member Taharudin Frank Mlok.
Omar was unhurt but his driver was injured. He is still undergoing medication in an undisclosed hospital in Datu Odin town.
Board Member Mlok said the provincial candidate was from the proclamation rally of Team Agila political party in Datu Piang when ambushed.
The ambush site was in Barangay Kiteb, Datu Anggal Midtimbang, Maguindanao del Sur. Despite being injured, the driver managed to bring the car up to the Community Police Assistance Center (COMPAC) checkpoint along the border of Datu Odin Sinsuat and Datu Anggal Midtimbang to seek help.
Team Aguila is the local political group of former TESDA Director Gen. Suharto Teng Mangudadatu who is running for governor of Maguindanao del Norte. His group is allied with Bangsamoro Grand Coalition, a political party in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
Police are still investigating the incident, according to Maguindanao del Sur provincial police director Colonel Ryan Bobby Paloma.