2 barangay execs killed in Mindanao gun attacks

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — A barangay chairman in Salibo, Maguindanao del Sur and a councilor in Dumalinao, Zamboanga del Sur were killed in separate gun attacks on Friday, January 3.

The first to die in the two incidents is Kamran Abubakar, killed by gunmen right in their yard in Barangay Sambulawan in Salibo, Maguindanao del Sur.

Barangays in Salibo, a dangerous and politically-troubled town, where there is presence of remnants of the outlawed Dawlah Islamiya and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, are scenes of deadly gun attacks and clashes between armed groups in recent months.

Officials of the Maguindanao del Sur Provincial Police Office and Brig. Gen. Romeo Juan Macapaz, director of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, told reporters on Saturday, January 4, that Abubakar, chairman of Barangay Sambulawan, died on the spot from multiple bullet wounds.

Relatives of Abubakar had told reporters he had no known enemies and was not involved in any “rido,” or clan war, either.

His assailants managed to escape before responding policemen arrived at the crime scene.

The incident preceded the murder, late Friday, by pistol-wielding men of Michael Virallo in a dark and secluded area in Sitio Mangga in Barangay Upper Dumalinao in Dumalinao Zamboanga del Sur.

The slain Virallo, a member of the barangay council in Upper Dumalinao, died from 12 gunshot wounds in different parts of his body.

Officials of the Zamboanga del Sur Provincial Police Office and the Dumalinao Police Station told reporters that Virallo was walking alone in a dark area in Purok Mangga when he was approached and shot with pistols 12 times by his attackers, who immediately ran away, leaving him sprawled on the ground, lifeless.