COTABATO CITY (MindaNews / 30 May) – A female Commission on Elections (Comelec) officer in Maguindanao province survived Monday a broad daylight ambush, but her aide was slightly injured.
Jean Hangkal, municipal election officer of Datu Salibo town, said she was driving her vehicle towards nearby Datu Piang municipality at around 12:30 when she noticed a mini-van partly blocking her path, its window half-open.
She was forced to stop and tried to maneuver her vehicle past the mini-van, but suddenly unidentified gunmen inside the other car opened fire towards her direction
The local Comelec official added that her aide, identified only as “Sadam,” was slightly injured in the attack.
Hangkal brought Sadam directly to a hospital in Datu Piang to get first aid and later transferred him to Midsayap in North Cotabato, where she sought help from military forces.
“I have been receiving threats, I presume this is election-related,” Hangkal said in a phone interview.
Colonel Christopher Panapan, Maguindanao police director, said he received a sketchy report of the shooting incident.
He said the Datu Salibo police were still conducting an investigation.
A manhunt was launched against the suspects, the official added. (Ferdinandh Cabrera / MindaNews)
