ZAMBOANGA CITY – Three persons were wounded in an encounter between two security aides of a municipal mayor who are also members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on Wednesday, April 15, in Barangay Buton, a remote area six kilometers away from the Hadji Mohammad Ajul Municipal Police Station.
Investigation disclosed that an MILF member and security aide to Vice Mayor Tirmiji Pawaki Bashir Yusuf engaged another MILF member in a heated dispute which led to gunfire. The argument stemmed from a personal dispute reportedly fueled by jealousy.
Three persons were wounded: Majid Dalagan Mohammad, 33, an MILF member and another security aide of the vice mayor; Nuraima Hairal Lamla, 19, a student; and municipal employee Jimmy Sali, 51.
The vice mayor reported the incident to the police who immediately launched the operation to arrest of the perpetrator.
Ten empty cartridge cases of a caliber 5.56 firearm were recovered in the area.
The victims were taken to a local medical facility and transferred to Zamboanga City.
To ensure proper handling of the case and prevent further escalation, police have initiated coordination with the Ad-Hoc Joint Action Group (AHJAG) Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) through spokesperson Haji Samad Atain.