Governor of Masbate survives ambush attempt

MANILA, Philippines — Masbate Gov. Elisa Olga Kho on Sunday survived an ambush attempt staged by still unknown perpetrators, a police official said Sunday. In an interview with dzBB, Police Chief Superintendent Theodore Reuben Sindac, Masbate police provincial director, said the ambush try occurred at about 11:30 a.m. when Kho was on her way back to Masbate from her beach resort. Sindac said the governor’s car hit two explosive devices planted on the left shoulder of the road. "Tinambangan po ang aming gobernador nung mga 11:30 nung siya'y pabalik dito sa Masbate galing sa Cataingan. Ito po ay sa pamamagitan ng dalawang improvised explosive device. Itinanim sa bandang kaliwa ng kalye at ito ay sumabog pero wala naman pong nadisgrasya sa pangyayaring to," he said. ["There was an assassination attempt to our governor at about 11:30 this morning. She was on her way to Masbate from Caitingan when two improvised explosive devices exploded on the left side of the road where she was passing. Nobody was hurt."] However, no fatalities were reported. Sindac added that the governor sustained minor injuries in her eyebrow when glass particles from her vehicle's windshield hit her. Sindac said the governor is safe and is currently back at her rest house. He added that authorities are still searching for leads, but probers were not ruling out that New People’s Army rebels could be behind the attack. “Initial indication (is) NPA, looking at the matter it is executed. Pero hindi namin dini-discount ang other angles. Puwede hong kalaban ni gobernador na criminal element at ibang napipinsala sa various programs and development projects po dito sa Masbate [But it might also be a handiwork of criminal elements whose activities were affected by our governor's programs and projects]," Sindac said. Police operatives in Cataingan are now conducting pursuit operations against the perpetrators towards their possible route of withdrawal at at San Rafael and Cadulawan villages, Sindace said. Also, teams from Palanas police are now conducting blocking force at Nabangig village in Palanas, which is near the boundary of Cataingan- GMANews.TV