Isabela vice mayor wounded, 4 dead in Basilan blast

BASILAN, Philippines (3rd UPDATE) – At least 4 are dead and several others wounded in an apparent attempt on the life of Isabela City Vice Mayor Abdulbaki “Panther” Ajibon a little past 1 pm on Thursday, October 1.

Ajibon was among those wounded.

Initial reports received the national police in Manila said the suspects used an improvised explosive device (IED) to hit the vice mayor’s 3-vehicle convoy.

The vice mayor was on his way home from a session in the local council when the incident occurred. 

The roadside bomb was detonated from a distance using a mobile phone while the Toyota pick-up truck of the vice mayor was passing by a street in Barangay Sunrise in Isabela City.

Isabela City is the old capital of Basilan, about 30 kilometers southeast of Lamitan City, the new seat of the provincial government.

The security-conscious Ajibon was riding a van ahead of his pick-up truck when the bomb went off.

Two of his police escorts and an employee of the city council riding the pick-up truck were killed in the blast.

The bombing came two days after Ajibon announced over a local radio station that he is seeking the mayoral post of Isabela City next year.

The incident occurred near the residence of Isabela’ outgoing mayor, Cherylene Akbar, widow of Basilan Representative Wahab Akbar.

Thursday’s roadside bombing was the second attempt on Ajibon’s life. He survived an earlier attack in the same barangay several years ago.

The following died on the spot:

• Gregorio general Delgado
• Muhaimin Jalil 
• A certain Maullah      

Ramil Omar, former barangay captain of Balatanay, was declared dead on arrival at the Infante Hospital.

The following were wounded and treated at nearby hospitals: 

• Florante Agustin
• Grace Manuel Flores
• Abdullah Alìh Ismael, former barangay captain of San Rafael 
• Sattar Swaib Abdul, security escort, of Balatanay 
• Nurhaida Tawasil dela Cruz, of legal age, resident of Barangay Diki
• Hadji Amlon Adam y Sali, resident of Barangay Port Area 
• Tupay Kalbi, security escort, resident of Barangay Sunset Tabuk 
• Utal, Sali Appan, 74, resident of Mangal Sumisip
• Timhar Mohammad
• Gammar Tiplani, 57 yrs old, resident of Barangay Sunset
• Sonny Tanjali, 50 yrs old, resident of Kapatagan

– with a report from Bea Cupin/Rappler.com