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ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews/12 October)– An official seeking re-election in one of the 11 municipalities in Basilan province survived an ambush that wounded his driver and a barangay chairman, the police reported Friday.
The police identified the official as Tipo-Tipo Vice Mayor Shuaib Maralil, who escaped unscathed in the ambush that took place shortly before 5 p.m. Thursday.
Wounded were Maralil’s driver, Ahmad Atalan, and village chair Basal Abdullajid of Barangay Banah, Tipo-Tipo municipality.
Investigation showed that Maralil and his two companions were traveling from Lamitan City when a group of gunmen ambushed them in Barangay Banah, the police said.
Maralil told the police that “he was the main target and that the motive of the ambush could be politically motivated.”
Maralil is running for re-election in the municipality of Tipo-Tipo.
The police have yet to establish the identities of the suspects. (MindaNews)