3 alleged culprits in ambush of governor nabbed
BANGSAMORO NEWS UPDATES • 09:00 AM Sat Mar 11, 2023
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By:
John M. Unson
The three ambush suspects arrested in Bukidnon are now detained. (Handout PRO-10 photo)
COTABATO CITY - Three alleged perpetrators of the February 17 ambush Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal Adiong, Jr, got arrested in a police operation in Bukidnon province before dawn Friday.
Brig. Gen. John Guyguyon, director of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, told reporters Saturday, said Palawan Macalbom, 34, Nagac Dimatingkal Baratomo, 38, and the 29-year-old Amirodin Dimatingkal, were arrested in Sitio Panamsamon in Barangay Ninoy Aquino in Kalilangan, Bukidnon.
Guyguyon said they did not resist arrest when combined personnel of PRO-BAR and the Police Regional Office 10 arrived at their hideout in Kalilangan and showed them warrants for their arrest for 2019 criminal cases, filed against them long before the ambush of Adiong.
Kalinlangan is an upland town in Bukidnon, a component province of Region 10.
The Lanao del Sur Provincial Police and PRO-BAR are still to file criminal cases against Macalbom, Baratomo and Dimatingkal for their alleged involvement in last month’s ambush of the convoy of Adiong in Barangay Bato-Bato in Maguing town in the first district of Lanao del Sur.
Adiong and his staff, Ali Tabao were wounded in the attack that also resulted in the demise of three of their police escorts, Staff Sergeant Mohammad Jurai Mipanga Adiong, Cpl. Johanie Lawi Sumandar, Cpl. Jalil Ampuan Cosain, and a civilian driver named Hasanor Pundaodaya.
Adiong and his companions were on their way to Wao, Lanao del Sur from Marawi City when gunmen positioned along a roadside hill shot their vehicles with assault rifles.
Guyguyon said last week criminal cases had been filed against three of the ambushers, Lomala Baratumo, Oscar Gandawali and Acsanie Hadji Salic, based on accounts of people aware of their involvement in the atrocity.
Adiong said Saturday he is thankful to PRO-BAR and the Lanao del Sur provincial police for cooperating in putting a closure to the ambush that he survived.
He said he is also grateful to Maranaw leaders helping locate the culprits who are still at large.