2 escorts of vice mayor die in ambush

AGUAK, Maguindanao -- The vice mayor here who was ambushed on December 24 is now in stable condition in an undisclosed hospital but his two personal aides were not as lucky, police said.

Major Erwin Tabora, Shariff Aguak town police chief, said the two companions of Shariff Aguak

Vice Mayor Akmad Mitra Ampatuan died hours after they were ambushed along the national highway in Barangay Poblacion, Maguindanao at 1 p.m. on Tuesday.

Tabora said Hadji Akmad Lumenda Ampatuan and Elham Khalid, the driver of Shariff Aguak

Vice Mayor Ampatuan, both died due to multiple gunshot wounds in various parts of their bodies.

That ill-fated day, the vice mayor and his companions were heading for home from the town hall when gunmen onboard a motorbike and multi-cab vehicle opened fire on them along the national highway in Barangay Poblacion.

Police investigation showed that Vice Mayor Ampatuan was the one driving the vehicle and that it actually saved his life.

“Most of the bullets were directed toward the front seat passenger side and the seat behind the driver,” Tabora said, adding that the attackers might have thought that the local official was seated in the front or at the back of the red Innova car.

Hours after the ambush, Khalid died at the Maguindanao provincial hospital and was immediately buried while Hadji Akmad passed away on Christmas Day.

“We have persons of interest, in this case, we are digging deeper,” Tabora told reporters.

Vice Mayor Ampatuan, who survived an ambush in 2014, stood as a witness against his relatives in the infamous Maguindanao massacre case.

“He was ambushed twice and he survived twice,” Tabora said.

Vice Mayor Ampatuan is the father of Shariff Aguak Mayor Marop Ampatuan. The mayor has strongly condemned the incident and has called for the speedy resolution of the case. (PNA)