KIDAPAWAN CITY, (PNA) — Police multipliers shot dead late Sunday afternoon a bodyguard of a Maguindanao politician who earlier shot dead two civilians, police and military authorities here said.
Capt. Anthony Bulao, spokesperson of the military’s 602nd Infantry Brigade, identified the amok as 40-year-old Rahib Ali, bodyguard of Vice Mayor Annie Montawal of Datu Montawal, Maguindanao.
Ali, was said to be after his former employer, Mokmad Andoy, former president of Association of Barangay Chairmen of nearby Pagalungan town, also in Maguindanao. Andoy was visiting the residence of Montawal at the time of the incident.
Ali, armed with M-16 Armalite rifle, suddenly opened fire on Andoy who was sitting on a sala set inside Montawal’s residence at about 5 p.m.
Andoy survived the shooting but his nephews, identified by police as Nasser Alba and Andala Macapalao, were not as lucky.
Both were declared dead on arrival at a hospital in nearby Kabacan, North Cotabato due to multiple gunshot wounds.
Armed civilian volunteer members who rushed to the scene shot dead Ali while the latter tried to escape.
Bulao said Ali was believed to be high on drugs when the shooting frenzy occurred.
“We have confirmed information that Ali was on drugs and appeared restless before the shooting,” Bulao said. He said police have yet to determine what motivated Ali to fire at Andoy who was unarmed and on a friendly visit.
Andoy, a known political warlord and former village chair of Barangay Poblacion in Pagalungan, Maguindanao, has been locked in a family feud with another Moro family in Pagalungan believed to be related to Ali.
Senior Supt. Rodelio Jocson, Maguindanao police chief, has ordered the deployment of police peacekeepers in Datu Montawal and adjacent town of Pagalungan to prevent further violence.
Police checkpoints have been put up around town and a team of soldiers from the 7th Infantry Battalion was also deployed to prevent the escalation of hostilities.
Bulao also appealed to Andoy and his followers to allow the police to settle the conflict peacefully.