LP mayoralty bet survives ambush

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - A mayoralty aspirant of the ruling administration Liberal Party (LP) was ambushed and survived the attack in a village of Sominot town, Zamboanga del Sur, police said on Tuesday.

The Police Regional Office 9 (PRO) reported that retired Fire Officer Proceso Estrada, Sr., the LP’s official mayoralty bet, and a companion were reportedly fired at by four gunmen last Sunday.

Chief Inspector Ariel Huesca, PRO-9 spokesman said the victims were on their way home after campaigning in the nearby village when they were shot by the suspects – two of them were identified as certain Jesryl Bate and Jaylord Jumawan based on the witnesses accounts.

The two other suspects were not unidentified, the police said.

Estrada and his companion managed to dock from their service when the suspects fired them using M16 assault rifles about 9 p.m. Sunday.

Responding police failed to catch up with the suspects who immediately fled the area.

The police in the area suspected that the attack could be election-related but were continuously conducting the investigation to determine whose party was behind the ambush.

Huesca said police forces in the province have intensified the security following the series of shooting and harassments which were believed to be election-related.