Ambush on arrest team leaves Maguindanao town cop chief, 1 other dead

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Gunmen killed the chief of police of Ampatuan town in Maguindanao and his escort and wounded three others in an ambush on Tuesday morning, police and Army officials said.

Police Lt. Reynaldo Samson and Police Cpl. Salipudin Endab, died on the spot from multiple gunshot wounds, authorities said.

Police M/Sgt. Renante Quinalayo, and Police Cpls. Rogelio Dela Cuesta,Jr. and Marc Clint Dayaday were wounded in the attack.

They were rushed to the Maguindanao Provincial Hospital in nearby Shariff Aguak town for treatment.

Police Brig. Gen. John Guyguyon, director of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, said Samson and companions were in a police patrol vehicle when gunmen shot at them from along the road. They had been headed to Barangay Kapinpilan to serve an arrest warrant on Kamir Kambal, who is wanted for robbery and intimidation of persons.

Barangay leaders and members of the Ampatuan municipal peace and order council identified the alleged gunmen as Guiapar Abdulkarim, Bantukan Andog, Sala Tunda, Johari Abdulbasser Guinaid, Phepe Saptulah, Abdulrah Sapal and Bobot Kamsa, all relatives of Kambal. 

Guyguyon said police teams, backed by personnel of different units under the Army's 6th Division, are now trying to locate the suspects.