Convoy of Mangudadatu's son shot at

COTABATO CITY, Philippines  – A convoy  of the son of re-electionist Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu was fired at by still unidentified gunmen along  a national highway in North Upi just before dusk Monday.

Buluan Vice Mayor King Jhazzer Mangudadatu, the eldest son of Mangudadatu with his wife who perished in the November 23, 2009 “Maguindanao Massacre, Genalyn, told reporters that a rifle bullet, fired from one side of the road, hit the left window of the rented van ahead of his vehicle.

“We were surprised when the vehicle stopped suddenly. We were informed by its passengers that they were shot,”the vice-mayor said.

The governor’s son and his companions were bound for Cotabato City after monitoring Monday’s local elections in North Upi when their convoy was shot.

He said he had asked the North Upi police to investigate on the incident.

Two explosions rocked a Datu Paglat, a remote town in Maguindanao,  just after the voting closed Monday night.

The town’s assistant municipal election officer, Esmael Ucom, said they were stunned by  the twin blasts, one near a voting center in Barangay Damalusay and the other at the municipal center.

No one was reported killed or injured in the blast, but the explosions triggered panic among local residents.

Investigators said gunmen could have fired the two grenade projectiles from a distance.  John Unson