Kin of barangay bet in Maguindanao town hurt in ambush

MAGUINDANAO, Philippines  - Gunmen wounded in an ambush Monday two nephews of a candidate for chairman of a barangay in Rajah Buayan town in the province.

Rajah Buayan Mayor Zamzamin Ampatuan, chairman of the municipal peace and order council, identified the victims as Saudi Untong and Nasser Malang, both residents of Barangay Mileb, who sustained gunshot wounds in different parts of their bodies.

Ampatuan, citing initial information from investigators, said Untong and Malang were riding a motorcycle together on their way to a polling site in Barangay Mileb when gunmen, positioned at one side of the road, flagged them down and shot then with assault rifles.

Ampatuan said Untong and Malang are both nephews of datu Pingcol, an aspirant for chairman of Barangay Mileb.

The victims were rushed to the Maguindanao provincial hospital in Shariff Aguak town.

Ampatuan said investigators are still trying to determine the identities of their attackers, some of them wearing black ski masks, brandishing M-14 assault rifles. - John Unson