Two men killed in ambush in Maguindanao del Sur

COTABATO CITY — Two Moro men were killed in an ambush in Barangay Campo, Paglat, Maguindanao del Sur, on Monday afternoon, September 7. Captain Steffie Salanguit, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, told reporters an hour after the incident that the two fatalities, Ebrahim Mamalinta and his relative, Marquez Mamalinta, were riding together on a motorcycle when they were attacked by gunmen in a residential area in Barangay Campo. The Mamalintas both died instantly from multiple gunshot wounds sustained in the attack. Their assailants immediately fled on a getaway motorcycle, leaving both victims sprawled on the ground. Salanguit said investigators from the Paglat Municipal Police Station, along with local executives and Moro datus in the municipality, are working together to identify the killers of the Mamalintas and bring them to justice. Relatives of the duo told reporters that they believed the attack could be related to an old grudge between the two men and their killers. They declined to elaborate, however. This incident occurs in a region with a history of inter-clan disputes and personal vendettas that have sometimes escalated into violence. The possibility of such underlying tensions contributing to this ambush is being considered. Maguindanao del Sur has previously been a focal point for the Bangsamoro independence movement, and the presence of remnants of Islamic armed groups and criminal organizations continues to pose security challenges. However, the current investigation leans towards a motive rooted in personal animosity, making the progress of the inquiry keenly awaited.