Attacks force Ampatuan townsfolk to flee homes

AMPATUAN, Maguindanao, Philippines – For the past two days, grenades from shoulder-borne launchers have been fired at a residential area in this town, whose vice mayor is a prosecution witness against members of the Ampatuan clan, who have been tagged in the massacre of 57 people, including at least 30 journalists, here last year.

Nobody was reported killed or wounded in the attacks.

Superintendent Alex Lineses, Maguindanao police director, however, denied reports that the attacks were aimed at the house of Vice Mayor Rasul Sangki, a prosecution witness against the Ampatuans.

The attacks have forced dozens of residents to flee their homes in the town proper.

The marauders are believed to be remnants of the Ampatuans’ private army.

Lineses said there is talk that they wanted to “disenfranchise” registered voters in this town. He did not elaborate.

Lineses said the attackers, armed with M-203 assault rifles fitted with grenade launchers, and vintage shoulder-fired M-79s, would fire from hills overlooking the town proper and then escape.

The other day, several rounds of 40-mm projectiles were fired at a residential area where Sangki’s relatives reside.

Two projectiles fired from the eastern side of the town proper landed near a gas station along the highway.

Tension has been high in populated areas along the same route for three days now following the fatal ambush of two fish traders.

The traders were going to deliver fish from General Santos City to the market here when they were slain, Lineses said.