COTABATO CITY (MindaNews / 13 April) — A candidate for Provincial Board Member in the first district of Maguindanao del Sur, Muhammad Uti Omar, 49, and his driver, Abel Buisan, 31, were wounded in an ambush in Barangay Brar, Datu Anggal Midtimbang, at around 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 13. Buisan sustained serious injuries. Lt. Col. Joppy Ventura, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR), confirmed the incident. Omar had just left the Proclamation Rally of Team Agila in Datu Piang town aboard a Toyota Innova with plate number NGC 6760 when ambushed. His SUV was riddled with bullets. Witnesses reported that the driver managed to drive the vehicle one kilometer from the scene towards Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao Del Norte, where a police checkpoint was located. At least 50 fired cartridges from a rifle were found at the scene, and the assailants allegedly fled towards Talayan, Maguindanao del Sur. The Philippine National Police is currently investigating the incident. (Ferdinandh B. Cabrera / MindaNews)
