Manhunt launched vs killers of Maguindanao town councilor

From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 22): Manhunt launched vs killers of Maguindanao town councilor

Police and military authorities here have launched a massive manhunt against two gunmen who shot dead a town councilor Wednesday morning.

Capt. Arvin John Encinas, Army’s 6th Infantry Division spokesperson, said elements of the 57th Infantry Battalion have been providing manpower and resources to the Datu Saudi Ampatuan Municipal Police Office in hunting down the killers of Councilor Sahabudin Namli, 42, of Barangay Madia here.

Namli was ambushed by armed men at around 10:45 a.m. Wednesday along the national highway. He succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds in the head and body.

Police Officer 1 Samsudin Nano, Datu Saudi police investigator on case, said Namli expired at past 11 a.m. while undergoing treatment at the hospital.

Nano said the victim was walking from his house toward the highway in Madia when two masked men, one armed with cal. 45 pistol and the other with M16 rifle, opened fire.

“The suspects waited for the town official to reach the highway and shot him at close range,” Nano said of Namli whose house is only some 10 meters away from the Datu Saudi-Datu Piang highway.

The suspects fled on foot. Nano said a manhunt has been launched.

Initial investigation also showed that the gunmen belonged to an armed group under a certain Commander Haon. It was not clear what group Haon belonged.

Namli is a relative of Ustadz Wahid Tundok, commander of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) 118th Base Command.

Nano said the relatives of the slain town official were angry and fired their guns on air.

“They were very mad, apparently they knew the perpetrators,” he added.

Government forces stationed along the Datu Saudi- Datu Piang areas Maguindanao highway have been alerted following the incident.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1026083