Lt. Col. Renoir Pascua, information chief of the Armed Forces’ Southern Command, said Sapang Dalaga mayoral bet Francis Suan was on his way home after a campaign sortie when his group was ambushed in Barangay Ventural past noon.
His Army escort, Cpl, Benjohn Yusop, was hit in the right chest and died instantly.
The rest of Suan’s escorts retaliated, forcing the ambushers to retreat.
Authorities suspect that the ambush was politically motivated, noting that Sapang Dala—ga has a history of intense political rivalries.
They, however, do not discount the hand of the New People’s Army in the attack since the place is rebel-infested.