Gunmen attack convoy of mayoral candidate in Zambo town

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Gunmen attacked the convoy of a mayoral candidate in Siay town in Zamboanga Sibugay province and wounded a village militia, police said Friday.

Police said the gunmen, who were on two pickup trucks, opened fire on the convoy of Mickel Argus in Mahayahay village. Argus and his team were unscathed from Thursday's attack, but the shooting wounded the 47-year old Juan Abarca Jr. 

 

Argus, a retired police colonel, was running against incumbent Mayor Jarvis Acosta.

 

Maj. Shellamie Chang, a regional police spokeswoman, quoting a police report, said the alleged motive of the attack was political rivalry. “Two black pick-ups (pickup trucks) coming from the opposite direction allegedly from the incumbent Mayor (Jarvis) Acosta passed by the location of the convoy of the Argus team and stopped more or less 30 meters away. Thereafter, a burst of gunfire coming from the two black pickup trucks shot the convoy of the Argus team. As a result, the victim (Juan Abarca Jr), was hit in his left leg and immediately brought to Zamboanga Sibugay Provincial Hospital for medical treatment,” Chang said. 

 

Chang said police investigators recovered over two dozen different bullet casings from the area. “The victim was brought to Ipil emergency hospital for medical attention, and recovered items are now under the custody of Siay Municipal Police Station for proper disposition. Hot pursuit operation is being conducted by Siay Municipal Police Station and (members of the) QRT (Quick reaction Team), while PMFCs (Provincial Mobile Force Company) and neighboring municipal police station were informed about the incident and conducted checkpoint operation,” she said.

 

Prior to the shooting, one of Argus’ men confronted Abarca, who was then at the garage of Isidro Talipan, and conducted a body search for a still unknown reason. Abarca is under the employ of the Siay municipal government, according to Chang.

 

“Initial investigation disclosed that prior to the incident, the convoy of Argus stopped by at Purok 3, Crossing Barangay Mahayahay, thereat, one civilian from Argus team conducted body search on the auxiliary personnel of LGU Siay who was at that time, at the garage of Isidro Talipan, a citizen in the area. Candidate mayor Argus thereafter pacified his team and proceeded to Barangay Bagong Silang and after several minutes, the convoy returned waving at the area where the auxiliary of LGU Siay stood by. The convoy stopped more or less 100 meters from the crossing,” she said, adding it was when the two pickup trucks arrived and from a distance of 30 meters, opened fire at Argus’ convoy.

 

Chang said the suspects remain unidentified. There was no immediate statement from Acosta’s side whether any of his men were involved in the attack. (Mindanao Examiner)