Gunmen shot dead a brigade commander of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and wounded his companion in M’lang, Cotabato, police reported yesterday.
A report reaching Camp Crame in Quezon City said police identified the victim as Jun Pananggulon, commander of the 7th Brigade of the 108th Base Command of the MILF.
He died on the spot while his companion Toto Magulayan was wounded and is now recuperating in a hospital in the province.
Pananggulon was reportedly visiting his corn and banana farm in Barangay Gaunan Sunday morning when four armed men started shooting him.
The gunmen were later identified as Tengan Anog, Nindi Dengkang, Pong Anog, and Junior Abdul. They later surrendered to the police.
Investigation showed that the shooting was in retaliation to the death of a certain Moro National Liberation Front Commander “Budo” who died in an ambush last year.
One of the suspects is a brother of Commander Budo.
Security forces were deployed in the area to prevent possible escalation of retaliatory attacks from both the relatives and followers of the two slain MILF and MNLF commanders.
“We have left behind forces to maintain the peace and order in the area,” Major Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, the Joint Task Force Central and Army 6th Infantry Division commander, said. (Aaron Recuenco and Francis Wakefield)
