ZAMBOANGA CITY – One civilian was killed and four others were injured when gunmen attacked them on Election Day on Tapiantana Island in Basilan province in southern Philippines.
The victims were waiting for a motorboat that will ferry them to the polling precincts when the gunmen arrived and shot them. The slain man was identified as Ricardo Fabian, 47, of Zamboanga City.
The wounded were Andy Reyes, 30, also of Zamboanga City; Nurrudin Gadjali, 29; and Alnasri Jammang, 29; Bol Madjalis, 48, all from Sulu province; and Hakim Munib, 38, a native of Basilan.
Other election violence reported in Basilan province were:
A senior commander of the former rebel group Moro Islamic Liberation Front, Moktar Mingkong, fired his automatic rifle indiscriminately in the village of Bacung in Sumisip town, but no casualties were reported.
Two armed groups who are followers of opposing politicians also clashed in the village of Boloh-Boloh in Tabuan-Lasa town. There were no reports of casualties from the brief firefight outside the Boloh-Boloh Elementary School.
In Hadji Mohammad Ajul town, a son of a village chieftain mauled followers of incumbent Mayor Ibrahim Ballaho and threatened them not to cast their votes. The suspect also fired his .45-caliber pistol in the air before escaping, forcing voters to flee to safety until soldiers arrived.
Brig. Gen. Domingo Gobway, commander of the 101st Infantry Brigade, admitted they were “overwhelmed” by the number of election-related violence in the province, but said they are in control of the situation. (Mindanao Examiner)
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