2 Kudarat councilors killed in palm oil plantation attack

BULUAN, Maguindanao , Philippines  – Two incumbent municipal councilors belonging to Lakas-Kampi-CMD were killed when a group of unidentified armed men attacked an African oil (palm oil) plantation, yesterday morning at President Quirino town in Sultan Kudarat province.

Sultan Kudarat police provincial director Superintendent Teng Tacao identified the victims as Dindo Ligawan, 45, councilor of Pandag, Maguindanao; and Corazon Florida, 50, a councilor of President Quirino; and at the same time the president of the Sultan Kudarat Municipal Councilors League.

Police investigation showed that the victims were attending the Narciso African oil plantation owned by Florida when they were attacked by a group of armed men with high-powered firearms.

Investigators said the perpetrators hid first at the palm trees then suddenly sprayed bullets on the victims that caused multiple gun shot wounds in different parts of their bodies which resulted to their untimely death.

After the Nov. 23 Maguindanao massacre that killed 57, Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat and Cotabato City are placed under the state of emergency.

Election-related violence continue to spark in the three provinces despite the state of emergency and the implementation of the Comelec gun ban.

Meanwhile, Tacao said that “Task Force Florida” headed by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)-12 has been tasked to handle and investigate the incident.

Tacao, however, did not confirm if the perpetrators belonged to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) operating in the areas of Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat. – Edith Regalado, Rose Tamayo-Tesoro, John Paul Jubelag