Police catch 3 Adiong ambush suspects in Bukidnon 

CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines – Police arrested three suspects in the February 17 ambush of Lanao del Sur Governor Mamintal Adiong in Bukidnon province at around 4:30 am on Friday, March 10.

Police-Northern Mindanao spokesperson Major Joann Navarro said the suspects – Palawan Salem Macalbo, Nagac Dimatangkil Baratomo, and Aminoden Dimatingkal Mandoc – were caught during a police operation in Sitio Panamsamo, Barangay Ninoy Aquino, Kalilangan town in Bukidnon, using arrest warrants issued by a court due to previous cases.

“The three suspects are among those labeled as John Does at the beginning of the investigation but were later identified by eyewitnesses,” Navarro told Rappler.

Macalbo, one of the suspects, had standing warrants for two counts of murder and another for frustrated murder, while Baratomo, and Amirodin Dimatingkal Mandoc were ordered arrested in connection to illegal arms and explosives possession cases, respectively.

The operation was jointly carried out by the Kalilangan town police and the Provincial Police Office of Lanao del Sur. 

Navarro said the police in Northern Mindanao and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) have been coordinating closely since the creation of the Special Investigation Task Group Adiong.

Lanao del Sur, where Adiong and his group were ambushed, is a part of BARMM, while neighboring Bukidnon is a Northern Mindanao province.

Navarro said the arrested suspects were identified through photographs by witnesses. 

The suspects are believed to be part of a 10-person group that ambushed the governor in Maguing town, Lanao del Sur, that resulted in the deaths of four of Adiong’s security aides. 

Lanao del Sur Vice Governor Mohammad Khalid Adiong, the governor’s son, said he was certain that the arrested suspects, who denied any involvement in the attack, were among those responsible for the ambush. 

Mohammad Khalid said, “Our family is happy that they are now in the hands of the authorities,” Adiong said. “We hope that they will tell the police where the others are, so that justice can be served.” – Rappler.com

Cong Corrales is an Aries Rufo Journalism fellow while Merlyn Manos is a journalist based in Iligan City.