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CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines (UPDATED) – The ambush of Marawi City Mayor Fahad Salic dawn Saturday, April 9, could be related to a personal grudge, local police investigators said in a press conference at the Maharlika Police Station.
Salic was ambushed at around 1:55 in the morning as he was going out of Pryce Plaza Hotel compound. Members of the Salic family believe the attempt to kill him could be linked to politics.
Salic is running for governor of Lanao del Sur under the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) of Vice President Jejomar Binay.
Salic and his driver Cairoden Gunting survived the attempt, but Salic sustained gunshot wounds in his buttocks, back and right leg.
Senior Inspector Christian Caballes of the Scene of Crime Operatives (SOCO) said they have recovered 31 empty shells of AK-47 and M16 assault rifles at the crime scene.
Police Senior Supt. Faro Antonio Olaguera, the city police director said that it is likely the attempt on Salic’s life was caused by a personal grudge rather than election-related.
Olaguera said that based on the information provided by the Lanao del Sur Provincial Police Command, a personal grudge may be the main cause.
“We could not yet divulge the particulars on the (political) angle,” Olaguera said.
Olaguera also formed a Special Investigation Task Force to investigate the ambush.
The ambush of Salic in this city, the capital of Northern Mindanao, could be the first election-related violence recorded here.
But Supt Maricris Mulat, the city police spokesperson, said that they are also looking at other angles and still trying to determine the identity of the suspects and the motives behind the ambush.
Dr Nadjemah Mokiin Salic-Malna, sister of Salic, told Magnum Radio that the shooting could be politically motivated because of his candidacy.
Salic-Malna is the former regional secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development in ARMM.
‘Cooler heads must prevail’
Drieza Lininding, vice chairperson of the Bangsamoro National Movement for Peace and Development, said that the ambush appears to be more personal than political. “But we have to wait for the official findings of the investigation of the police,” he added.
Liningding described the political landscape in Lanao del Sur as peaceful. “There is no existing friction between political parties in the province.”
It’s too early to speculate on the motives behind the ambush, he said, but cooler heads must prevail to avoid further conflict.
Cagayan de Oro City Representative Rufus Rodriguez, who himself is running for city mayor, said that the people must let the police conduct its investigation and should avoid speculation about motives for the ambush of Salic.
Former city mayor Vicente Emano said he personally visited Salic at the Polymedic Plaza where they spoke for a while and told Salic that he needs to recuperate first before focusing on his campaign.
PPOC condemns ambush try
Lanao del Sur governor Mamintal Bombit Adiong convened the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) hours after the incident.
The meeting with the PPOC at the Provincial Capitol Complex in Marawi City came out with a resolution condemning the incident.
The PPOC resolution also urged the national government, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), the National Police to conduct an immediate investigation of the incident.
Adiong said the PPOC will work closely with the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office on the investigation.
Aside from Salic, other candidates for Lanao del Sur governor are: Ahmadjan Abdulcarim (Independent), Soraya Adiong (Liberal Party), Pangalian Balindong (independent), Jahl Lucman (Independent), and Abdulfatah Sarip (Partido Bagong Maharlika). – Rappler.com
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