AT least ten suspects in last Friday’s ambush of Lanao del Sur Governor Mamintal Adiong Jr., have been identified, Bangsamoro Minister for Interior and Local Government Naguib Sinarimbo announced in a press conference here yesterday afternoon.
Sinarimbo did not divulge the names of the suspects pending the results of the official investigation being conducted by the Philippine National Police and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
He, however, asked the mayors belonging to the League of Municipalities of the Philippines Lanao del Sur chapter to negotiating for the surrender of the suspects to the authorities.
“We know who these suspects are. It would be better for them to surrender peacefully,” Sinarimbo said.
Unidentified gunmen ambushed the convoy of Adiong in barangay Delimbayan, Maguing town while the governor was on his way to Wao town in Lanao del Sur.
Adiong was wounded but four of his security escorts died in the ambush.
Police said a staff member of Adiong identified as Ali Macapado was wounded. A fifth member of Adiong’s security, an Army soldier, turned up Saturday with slight injuries.
Adiong was brought to Cagayan de Oro where doctors at the Polymedic General Hospital removed a slug from his right buttock last Friday.
The 57-year-old governor was declared out of danger after the successful medical operation.
The town of Maguing is a hotbed for communist rebels, Dawlah Islamiyah, and drug syndicates according to the police and military.
Sinarimbo held a closed-door meeting with believed to have been the family clan of Adiong at a local hotel in Cagayan de Oro to apprise them of the investigation conducted by the MILF.
He told them a motorcycle used by one of the suspects was seized near the ambush site located just one kilometer and a half from an MILF camp.
Rep. Zia Adiong (1st District, Lanao del Sur), the brother of the governor said their family would wait for the outcome of the police investigation.
Twenty-five twenty mayors who are members of the LMP Lanao del Sur came to the press conference to throw their support to gov. Adiong.
Butig town Mayor Dimnatang Pansar belied speculations that the ambush was “politically motivated.”
Pansar said Adiong enjoyed the support of all town mayors in Lanao del Sur adding that authorities should bring the investigation to a swift conclusion.
