CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (MindaNews / 3 June) – A town mayor of Lanao del Sur was wounded while his wife was killed when unidentified gunmen ambushed their black Toyota pickup in Barangay Iponan here Wednesday morning.
Barangay Iponan, Cagayan de Oro City. Map courtesy of Google
Major Ivan Vinas, spokesperson of the Cagayan de Oro Police Office, said the suspects ambushed the vehicle of Lumbaca Unayan Mayor Somerado Guro around 9:40 a.m.
Vinas said Guro, 60; his wife Rohaifa, 26; driver Ibrahim Gani, 58; and their staff identified as Abdul Rafi Guro, 19, had just left the mayor’s house in Phase 4 Block 4, Lot 4, Bloomingdale Subdivision in Iponan when fired upon by gunmen riding a Honda motorcycle as they reached Zone 2 of the said barangay.
Vinas said despite his wounds, the driver managed to drive all the way to the Polymedic Medical Plaza along the highway in Barangay Kauswagan here, about seven kilometers away, where they sought medical help.
Lanao del Sur Provincial Prosecutor Aisa Alonto said Rohaifa, the wife of Mayor Guro, expired more than an hour later at the hospital.
Alonto said Rohaifa sustained seven gunshot wounds. The mayor, who was hit by a bullet on his neck, is in stable condition, she added.
Bangsamoro Member of Parliament Zia Alonto Adiong, a distant relative, said “rido” or clan war could have been the motive of the shooting.
“Who would have thought of staging an ambush in this time of pandemic?” he asked.
Jennie Alonto Tamano, provincial information officer of Lanao del Sur, said Guro was on his way to Marawi City to attend the provincial Interagency Task Force meeting.
Cagayan de Oro City Police Director Henry Dampal asked witnesses to come forward and help to identify the suspects. (Froilan Gallardo / MindaNews)
