Alleged mastermind behind ambush of Lanao del Sur Gov. Adiong killed

PARANG, Maguindanao del Norte (MindaNews / 05 May) — Combined police and military operatives in Lanao del Sur killed Wednesday the alleged mastermind behind the ambush early this year of the convoy of Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal A. Adiong Jr. that killed four people.

BGen Allan Nobleza, regional police director of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao said Oscar “Tacmar” Capal Gandawali was killed after resisting police and Army personnel who arrived in Barangay Pilimoknan, Maguing, Lanao del Sur to serve his warrants of arrest.

The operatives came from the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region Special investigation Task Group Gov. Adiong and 5th Infantry Battalion.

The Lanao del Sur Police Provincial Office said Gandawali opened fire on the operatives, injuring Army SSgt Nio Mickhael Angelo and the barangay chair of Pilimoknan, and forcing the latter to fire back.

Recovered from the scene were different types of firearms and ammunition, transparent plastic sachets containing suspected shabu with a total weight of 13.216 grams amounting to P89,868, and other drug paraphernalia.

All of the recovered items were turned over to the Maguing police station for documentation.

“The suspect was facing seven murder cases and two frustrated murder cases,” said Nobleza.

The ambush on Adiong’s convoy in Maguing on Feb. 17 this year left three persons dead and wounded the governor in the hip.

The fatalities were identified as Juraiz Adiong, Aga Sumandar and Jalil Cosain, all policemen with the rank of patrolman, and a civilian driver named Hassanor Pundaodaya.

Gandawali, an alleged Dawlah Islamiya member, was also the suspect behind the October 2018 ambush of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency personnel in Kapai, Lanao del Sur that killed five agents.

He was tagged as the Number 1 Most Wanted Person in Lanao del Sur, and Number 4 in the region. He was allegedly involved in gunrunning, robbery, hold-up, and illegal drug trade in the province and neighboring areas. (Ferdinandh B. Cabrera/MindaNews)