4 hurt as gunmen harass Maguindanao market place
Mindanao Armed Conflict • 23:30 PM Tue Jul 12, 2022
747
By:
FERDINANDH CABRERA
The encounter site in Simuay, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao, Yellow items indicate location of empty shells. (Kutangbago photo)
SULTAN KUDARAT, Maguindanao — At least four persons were reported wounded after gunmen engaed police in a brief firefight at the public terminal-cum-public market in Barangay Simuay here before dusk Tuesday, police said.
Lt. Col. Julhamin Asdani, the acting police chief of the town, said that before 6 in the evening gunmen on board five vehicles arrived in the area.
The gunmen surprisingly roamed around the public market as if they were law enforcers looking for someone that sent jitters among people in the marketplace.
Suddenly, gunbursts were heard in the area that sent people to drop and seek cover.
A resident asking he remained unidentified said the gunmen were looking for Barangay Simuay chairperson Guiaber Dalindingan. They failed to find Dalindingan in the terminal
As the police arrived, they opened fire on law enforcers triggering a 20-minute firefight.
Empty shells from various rifles littered the marketplace.
A video has been circulating showing one of the armed men was injured and being extracted by his companions as they fled the scene.
Soldiers have been sent to reinforce the police and to prevent further skirmishes.
The rift between the still unidentified gunmen and chairperson Dalindingan dated back to election time when the suspects allegedly harassed the official’s home. Two grenade blasts rocked Dalindingan’s home few days after the May 9 elections. (FC)