Cotabato official survives daring assault

COTABATO CITY: The deputy mayor of Cotabato City and also the chairman of the former Muslim rebel group Moro National Liberation Front was shot and wounded in a daring attack Tuesday.

Muslimen Sema, former secretary-general of the MNLF, was shot in his car, but he survived the assas- sination attempt. One of his two attackers Zermin Abdullah was also shot and seriously wounded by Sema’s bodyguards.

The politician was rushed to Notre Dame Hospital in Cotabato City where he is recuperating from gunshot wounds.

Reports said Sema was on his way home at 11 a.m. after presiding over the city council session when he was attacked at the busy business district of Cotabato.

The second gunman escaped on a motorcycle.

Police said it is still investigating the motive of the attack.

Sema, along with senior MNLF leaders that made up the so-called Council of 15, have unseated Nur Misuari as chairman of the former rebel group in a coup launched in 2001.

Sema’s group ousted Misuari, then governor of the four-province Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, for failing to improve the lives of Muslims in Mindanao and for lack of confidence.

Others in the group were Parouk Hussin, Yusop Jikiri, Hatimil Hassan, Abdul Sahrin, Alfatah Abubakar, Uttoh Salem and Manda Amilhamsa, and seven other state chairmen.

But Misuari’s loyal followers dissolved the council that ousted him and installed Misuari as chairman of the MNLF.

He was rushed to in Cotabato City where he was declared out of danger.

One of the attackers who was riding a motorcycle was also shot and brought to a separate hospital.

The motive for the attack is still unknown.

Sema is the current chairman of the Moro National Liberation Front ( MNLF).

His wife is Congresswoman Bai Sandra Sema, current representative of Maguindanao and Cotabato City (1st District). They have 5 children.

Sema was Cotabato City mayor from 1998 to 2010.

He was elected city vice-mayor in the last local elections in 2010.

Sema also served as executive director of the Southern Philippines Council for Peace and Development.