Maguindanao board bet survives ambush

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — A candidate for a seat in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Maguindanao del Sur and his companions survived an ambush yesterday afternoon.

According to initial police reports, Baba Omar, a scion of a Maguindanao noble clan, was in a car with his companions when they were attacked by gunmen along the Cotabato-Isulan Highway in Barangay Kiteb in Datu Anggal Midtimbang town.

Local executives and barangay leaders said Omar and his driver were “slightly wounded.”

The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region Police said the Datu Anggal Midtimbang police and that of the neighboring Datu Odin Sinsuat town in Maguindanao del Norte are doing pursuit operations.

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) expressed concern over the latest incidents of attacks involving local officials and candidates running in the upcoming elections.

The CHR said it is investigating the killing of Binhar Julambre Alon Jawad, chairman of Barangay Baraas in Picong, Lanao del Sur, who was shot by still unidentified assailants while en route to a graduation ceremony on April 9.

“The CHR acknowledges the swift response of law enforcement agencies in the region and echoes the call for a thorough and impartial investigation,” it said in a statement.

“Holding perpetrators accountable is vital not only to deliver justice, but also to restore public confidence, especially among voters, in the safety and integrity of the electoral process,” it added.

According to the commission, the latest attack is a “stark reminder of the urgent need to intensify efforts to uphold peace, safeguard human rights and ensure the protection of political participation, particularly in the Bangsamoro Region.”

“Any threat to public officials and political candidates undermines democratic values and hampers the creation of an inclusive and secure environment for all,” CHR said.

It urged all stakeholders to work together to ensure a safe conduct of elections and other public activities, saying that “in a democratic country, protecting the sanctity of elections is a responsibility we all share – one that must be approached with vigilance and resolve.”