MANILA: Two people were killed while eight others were wounded after terrorist group Abu Sayyaf ambushed government troops in southern Philippines yesterday morning, a military official said.
Capt Ryan Lacuesta, Civil Military Operations Officer of the 2nd Marine Brigade, said a member of the Abu Sayyaf and a village peacekeeper were killed while six other village peacekeepers and two Marines were hurt.
Lacuesta said government troops were on their way to provide reinforcement to village peacekeepers when their convoy was waylaid by the Abu Sayyaf in Long Kiaban village, Talipao town in Sulu province.
He said the firefight between the militants and the Marines and village peacekeepers lasted for about an hour.
Councillor gunned down
ZAMBOANGA CITY: A village councillor was gunned down by unidentified assailant shortly before noon yesterday in Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte, police said.
The police identified the victim as Salvador ‘Junjun’ Jamorol, councilor of Barangay Miputak, Dipolog City.
Police Superintendent Joven Rendon Parcon, chief of police of Dipolog City, said the victim was on board his motorcycle when he was shot about 11.30am by an unidentified suspect at close range and escaped toward an unknown direction along the national highway of Barangay Sta. Isabel.
Police were looking at personal grudge as the possible motive of the gun attack.
Jamorol was the second village councilor who was shot dead in Zamboanga peninsula in a span of 4 days. Last Tuesday a village, councillor Zamboanga City was also shot and killed by riding in tandem suspects.
Agencies
