1 killed, 7 injured in truck ambush

KORONADAL CITY — Unidentified armed men, reportedly wearing Army uniforms, ambushed a passenger’s truck loaded with 20 persons on Sunday afternoon in a remote part of Surallah town in South Cotabato province, killing a 13-year-old girl, according to initial reports released by the police.

The reports also said that seven other passengers were injured while two were missing.

In a report obtained by the Surallah police station from the South Cotabato provincial hospital here, police investigator P02 Orestes Azurin identified the injured passengers as: Monera Cabra, 35; Ariel Hervilla, 54; John-John Hervilla, 17; Robert Baylaman, 25; Pepe Hintongan, 35; Sla’ Balaogan, 40; and Samrod Dalagonan, 23.

Killed, due to serious multiple gunshot wounds in the different parts of her body, was Lambay Kaitom, 13.

All the victims are residents of Barangay Upper Sepaka.

The ambush took place at around 3:30 p.m. at the remote part of Sitio Datal Lawa of Barangay Upper Sepaka.

Probers recovered several empty shells of bullets, believed to be from the M-16 Armalite rifles, at the ambush site.

In an interview with Cabra, one of the injured victims, she narrated to The STAR that a certain Kumander Jojo and four companions boarded the truck. Somewhere along Sitio Datal Lawa road, Cabra said they met a green pick-up with eight passengers wearing Army uniforms and the men fired at them. All the victims suspected that the shooting has something to do with the presence of Kumander Jojo in the truck.

Kumander Jojo, whose real name is Ayao Lintang Balunog, is an alleged field commander of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) operating in the hinterland parts of the Upper Valley area of South Cotabato province.

Police sources said he was the alleged suspect in two shooting incidents in Surallah town, involving a municipal and a barangay councilors a few years ago.