Lacson leader in Isabela escapes ambush unhurt

SAN MANUEL, Isabela — The provincial chairman of the Ping for President Movement (PPM), who is running for mayor of this town, was ambushed past midnight last Thursday in a far-flung barangay but escaped unhurt after 20 minutes of firefight, police said.

Senior Inspector William Mapatac, this town’s police chief, said the three-vehicle convoy of mayoralty candidate Jovito Sermonia Jr. was cruising the Malalinta-Mararigue Road when they were fired upon.

The police security escorts of Sermonia, who was on board an Isuzu pick-up, managed to return fire.

The attackers strafed a Ford Escort in Sermonia’s convoy but luckily, all its four passengers were unhurt.

Police said the ambushers fled toward the Cordillera mountain ranges after elements of the 118th Provincial Mobile Group based in nearby Roxas town arrived.

Police found several M-16 empty shells and some personal belongings of the attackers at the scene.

Sermonia told The STAR that he had received death threats through his cellular phone a few days before the ambush.

Senior Superintendent Nelson Nario, provincial police director, has ordered the local police to track down the ambushers.

A week ago, the house of a vice mayoralty candidate in Ilagan town was strafed by unidentified men on board a red pick-up and a sports motorcycle.

In another incident believed to be politically motivated, ski mask-wearing men torched a vehicle of a mayoralty candidate in Naguilian town last Monday night.

Despite these incidents, Nario gave assurance that the police and the military are still on top of the situation in the province, saying uniformed personnel are on standby to respond to any untoward incidents.