Salic may have been betrayed by own people

By NITZ ARANCON
and LITO RULONA, Correspondents with
FROILAN GALLARDO
Special Correspondent

MARAWI Mayor Fahad Salic may have been betrayed by someone or people in his own group.

Camp Alagar spokesman Supt. Surki Sereñas said this as various law enforcement groups in the region met yesterday to look into clues and pieces of evidence investigators gathered in connection with the ambush on Masterson Ave. here on Saturday.

Sereñas hinted that investigators have identified suspects, and have determined that the people behind the ambush belong to an “organized group.”

Sereñas said there were indications that the ambush was an “inside job,” noting that Salic was riding a new vehicle that could only be familiar to people close to him.

Salic started using the vehicle only three days before the ambush, police noted.

A special investigation task group started consolidating evidence, getting statements from possible witnesses,  and examining security camera video recordings, among others, said Sereñas.

Sereñas said investigators were examining recordings from Pryce Plaza Hotel’s parking lot security camera in the hope of finding clues.

“Basin  makatabang kini sa pag-develop sa maong kaso,” Sereñas said.

Senior Insp. Maricris Mulat, spokesperson of the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (Cocpo), said city police director Senior Supt. Faro Antonio Olaguera met with the task group that includes officials of the National Bureau and Investigation (NBI), Camp Alagar, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), the Lanao del Sur and Mawari police offices, and a police intelligence unit.

Sereñas said the police and other law enforcement groups consider the case a priority, and they were exerting all efforts to give justice to Mayor Salic and his driver Cairoden Gunting who were wounded in the gun attack.

Relatives of Salic said they suspected the attack was politically motivated.

“This is politically motivated. Mayor Salic is running for governor in Lanao del Sur. He is gaining grounds in our province, and the only way to stop him is to kill him,” said Salic’s younger sister Monte Malnac.

She called on President Aquino to ensure that there would be no cover-up, and that the suspects would be arrested and brought to justice even as she ruled out “rido” as a motive for the ambush.

Mulat said initial investigation suggest that Mayor Salic was closely monitored by the assailants.

“The ambush was well-planned and organized,” Mulat said.

Salic, a candidate of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA), suffered three gunshot injuries in his buttock and shoulder while his driver had a mouth injury.

Police investigator  Leonilo Laquio of the Carmen police station said they were focusing on electionelated violence or clan war or “rido” as the motive for the ambush.

Laquio said they would also investigate why it took the back-up security escorts of Salic to come to his aid.

Larry Rosuello, a guard at the Pryce Plaza Hotel, told the police Salic and his driver were on board a red Ford Ranger pickup from the hotel at about 1:55 am Saturday.

Rosuello said Salic did not have his usual convoy of bodyguards.

“The pickup slowed down as it came near the highway when I spotted a white Hi-Ace van blocking its way. The van’s windows  opened and several gunmen fired at the red pickup,” Rosuello later narrated to reporters.

Rosuello said he ducked inside the guard house for cover at the same time peeking outside to see what was happening.

Moments later, he said, Salic and his driver were running to the guard house, their clothes bloodied.

“I covered the Mayor and the body guard with my gun, and we climbed back to the hotel for safety,” Rozuello said.

Rosuello said the bodyguards of Salic met them midway, and brought the mayor to the hospital.

By then, Rosuello said, the suspects have already left the crime scene.

Dr. Christian Caballes, chief medico legal officer of the PNP Scene of the Crime Unit here said they found 31 empty shells of 5.56 and 7.62 ammunition from the ambush site.

Caballes said they also found an STI caliber .40 pistol with three magazines, and two mobile phones inside the red Ford Ranger owned by Salic.

He said the mobile phones were to be examined by the PNP Cyber Crime Unit at Camp Alagar to see if Mayor Salic have received threatening texts.

“Based on the empty shells, we presumed the firearms used by the gunmen were M16 and AK 47 rifles. We did not find any evidence that Mayor Saic was able to fire back at his attackers,” Caballes said.

Mayor Oscar Moreno immediately condemned the ambush on Salic saying that it was “barbaric and has no place in a decent community” like Cagayan de Oro.

Moreno said he urged the local police to immediately identify and arrest the suspects.

He is also urging the residents of Cagayan de Oro who have knowledge of the incident to come forward and help police authorities.