COTABATO CITY — An ethnic Maguindanaon villager was killed while three others, including a six-year-old child, were wounded in an ambush in Mamasapano, Maguindanao del Sur on Monday morning.
Hadji Nano Utap, 40, a resident of Rajah Buayan, was declared dead on arrival by physicians in a hospital where he was brought by companions for treatment.
Mr. Utap is the 14th fatality in gun attacks since the Commission on Elections imposed a nationwide gun ban on Jan. 12 ahead of the midterm elections in May.
Brig. Gen. Romeo J. Macapaz, regional director of the Bangsamoro police, told reporters on Tuesday that Mr. Utap and his relatives were in a minivan while others trailed behind on motorcycles, when they were attacked by gunmen at the secluded Paso area in Mamasapano.
Local executives and officials of the Mamasapano Municipal Police Station said the attack left three relatives of Mr. Utap, Tateks Kalunsiang, 45, Hadji Fahad Namo, 38, and a six-year-old boy, badly wounded.
Mr. Kalunsiang, who was riding a motorcycle, behind the minivan carrying his relatives, fell along the road due to gunshot wounds he sustained in the attack.
Their attackers immediately escaped using getaway motorcycles, according to barangay officials. — John Felix M. Unson
