BY JOEL CALAMBA ESCOL, Managing Editor
LANAO DEL SUR – The Philippine National Police reported yesterday that one of the suspects in the recent ambush of Governor Mamintal “Bombit” Adiong, Jr, was killed in a police operation.
In an interview with a TV network, Police Brigadier General John Guyguyon of the Police Regional Office – Bangsamoro Autonomous Region identified the slain suspect as a certain alias “Otin.”
The police general said the suspect was killed during a hot pursuit operation conducted by police operatives right after the governor was ambushed on February 17.
General Guyguyon claimed “Otin” is a son of alias “Fighter,” another suspect, who was also pursued by the police and still at large at press time.
Meanwhile, police probers are now coordinating closely with the immediate kins of the victims in the ambush to file complaints and statements, for the filing of appropriate charges against those involved in the ambush that killed 3 policemen and the driver of the vehicle.
PNP chief Police General Rodolfo Azurin Jr. has immediately condemned the incident. “We condemn this senseless act of violence against our public servants. We assure the public that the PNP will exhaust all efforts to bring the perpetrators to justice,” he said.
It may be recalled that on February 17, Governor Adiong and his police convoy were passing through a road in Maguing town when unidentified gunmen alighted from the scene and opened fire, killing three policemen and the driver.
The governor and his staff were wounded but still managed to maneuver their vehicles and escaped from the crime scene.
Investigators later identified the slain policemen as Police Staff Sergeant Mohammad Jurai Mipanga Adiong, 40; Police Corporal Johanie Lawi Sumandar, 39; Police Corporal Jalil Ampuan Cosain, 40, and a driver identified only as Kobi.
SURGERY
Governor Adiong, who was immediately transferred to a bigger hospital in Cagayan de Oro, was already out of danger, according to his latest medical bulletin.
His brother, 1st District Representative Zia Alonto Adiong, has confirmed that a surgery was done, and the doctors have successfully taken out the bullet that hit the governor in his left thigh.
“He’s out of danger, Thank God. Kasi ‘yun ang fear ng family noong nabalitaan ‘yung nangyari,” Adiong said in an interview with a radio station.