ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews /26 Dec) – Two fishermen were wounded while nine others, including two children, were missing and feared dead in an execution-style Christmas Day shooting incident perpetrated by suspected pirates offshore Talusan, Zamboanga Sibugay.
P01 John Michael dela Llana, Police Station 3 case investigator, said all of the victims are residents of Seaside, Barangay Sangali, this city.
Dela Llana said the victims were fishing aboard three motorized bancas around 10 a.
m. Wednesday in the municipal waters of Talusan when six gunmen on three motorized bancas arrived.
Dela Llana said the gunmen herded the victims in one motorized banca and shot them with rifles.
Two of the victims, namely Muksin Ambasali and Loloy Ambasali, were admitted at the Zamboanga City Medical Center, according to Dela Llana.
The Ambasalis told Dela Llana that they pretended to be dead and clung on a Styrofoam to stay afloat until the gunmen left. Fortunately, other fishermen came to their rescue and brought them to the hospital.
Dela Llana identified the missing as Alajid Salayani, Jeffrey Salayani, Munsid Ambasali, Jaji Ambasali, Jimmy Salayani, Kusain Alipe, Palari Salayani, and two children Bending Salayani, 7, and Benjie Salayani, 9.
Dela Llana said they have coordinated with the police in Talusan for the recovery of the other victims.