10 killed, three hurt in North Cotabato shootout

By Ronron
September 19, 2007

Ten people were killed and three others were hurt in a shootout Wednesday morning in North Cotabato province, police and military said.

Officials said the incident involved the rival parties of Nuruddin Matalam, former vice-mayor of Pagulangan, Maguindanao, and Mokamad Andoy, a barangay captain of still unknown place.

According to Col. Pedro Soria, commander of the Army’s 602nd Infantry Brigade based in Carmen town of said province, the shootout happened at around 9:45 am right at the national bridge in Barangay Lamyong, Kabacan town.

He said Matalam, his wife, and other companions were aboard a Toyota Land Cruiser, and were being tailed by escorts aboard a back-up pick-up, while the party of Andoy were aboard two owner-type jeeps.

Both parties were heading towards Pagulangan town, said Soria, and when they arrived near the bridge, they began to race against each other.

Soria said the two owner-type jeeps were running ahead of Matalam’s convoy at first, but Matalam’s Land Cruiser was able to overtake.

“Maybe, when the party of the barangay captain realized that it was Matalam’s vehicle that overtook them, they started shooting at the Land Cruiser because the bullets pierced through the rear portion of that vehicle,” Soria said in Filipino when interviewed by phone yesterday afternoon.

According to police, Matalam is a political rival of the father and son tandem of Macabangen and Utto Montawal, the incumbent vice mayor and mayor of Pagulangan, respectively. Andoy is reportedly a known staunch supporter of the Montawals.

Police said Matalam ran against but lost to Utto Montawal in the mayoralty race in Pagulangan last May 14, 2007 elections.

In April of this year, supporters of Matalam and the Montawals already figured in a firefight, police recounted.

Soria said Wednesday’s shootout lasted no more than 15 minutes, leaving seven members of Andoy’s group dead, as well as the driver/bodyguard of Matalam, and two civilians who were caught in the crossfire.

Soria said it was unfortunate that a passenger jeepney bound for Kabacan town proper passed by the encounter site from the opposite direction, that was why aside from two of its passengers getting killed, a male toddler was also slightly hurt.

Aside from the young boy, Matalam and his wife were also injured, said Soria. The Matalams were rushed to a hospital in Davao City for medical treatment.

Soria said recovered from the place of the firefight were empty shells for M14, M16 and Garand rifles.

The fighters from both parties were also wearing military uniforms, preventing five CAFGU personnel stationed nearby from responding at the height of the firefight.

When the exchange of gunfires subsided, all but the Land Cruiser sped off to different directions, Soria said.

Soria said responding elements from the 602nd Brigade, and the 7th, 57th, and 38th Infantry Battalions only caught up with Matalam and his Land Cruiser, and all the dead bodies when they arrived at the scene of the shootout.

Police is now investigating the incident for the filing of possible charges against those responsible for the death of the 10, especially the civilians./DMS