ILIGAN CITY--The military and the police started parallel investigations into Tuesday's shooting incident in the Lanao del Sur town of Pagayawan that resulted in the killing of two soldiers and the wounding of five others, officials said.
The crime scene, around 500 meters from the detachment of the Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (Cafgu), is the same area where the officer-in-charge of Binidayan town police and his driver were killed in a separate ambush on December 23.
Officials said the wounded victims are now on a stable condition in a medical facility of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
Speaking on condition of anonymity due to the ongoing investigation, an Army personnel who is familiar with the details of the incident said the troops were clearing the area when the Cafgu detachment commander, identified as Corporal Nao Mohammad Lassam, indiscriminately fired on the soldiers.
He identified the casualties as 2nd Lt. Mark Linne Banua and Sgt. Jhanjihan Carumba, and the wounded soldiers as TSgt. Randy Esmade, PFC. Nilo Rubiato, Pvt. Roger Amihan, Pvt. Jovanie Calaguian, Pvt Therenz John Francisco.
The victims belong to the Army's 55th Infantry Battalion (55IB).
"He (Cpl. Lassam) served as a guide to the troops because he knows the terrain," the Army source said.
Lassam fled the crime scene in Sitio Banisilan, Barangay Bandaraingud, to unknown directions after shooting the soldiers, he said.
Brig. Gen. Bagnus Gaerlan, Jr., commander of the 1st Infantry Division, said in a statement on Tuesday that “thorough investigation, pursuit and manhunt of the perpetrator is ongoing”.
“Our unit commanders were directed and cooperate with the friendly forces to apprehend the perpetrator,” he said.
Gaerlan also assured medical care for the wounded troopers for their speedy recovery.
On Monday evening, Police Executive Master Sgt. Amen Lucman Macalangan, OIC chief of Binidayan Municipal Police Station and his driver, Ramel Pangcatan, were killed when their police car was ambushed by around five armed men.
A female non-uniformed personnel and other policeman escaped unhurt.
The following morning, the Provincial Police Office of Lanao del Sur (PPO LDS) requested the military to help them clear the area after establishing that the crime was in connection with the result of Macalangan's series of law enforcement operations, according to Police Colonel Madzgani Mukaram, PPO LDS chief.
"He (Macalangan) received death threats because of that accomplishments. Our persons of interest are the owners of the smuggled cigarettes confiscated by the Binidayan police led by Macalangan," Mukaram said.
The Philippine National Police has already created the Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) Macalangan tasked to investigate the incident.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1089491
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