2 killed by Mangudadatu brother's aide inside SBMA

Two law enforcers were shot dead by a security aide of a brother of Buluan, Maguindanao Vice Mayor Ismael "Toto" Mangudadatu inside the Subic Bay Freeport on Monday afternoon. Retired Gen. Orlando Maddela, manager of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Law Enforcement Department (LED), said Mohamedin Ali, 39, shot dead SBMA officer Ceferino Abadia, 60, and retired SPO4 Delfin Orinez inside the LED building around 5 p.m. Monday. Earlier police report said that the suspect was one of the bodyguards of Toto Mangudadatu. But in a phone interview with GMANews.TV, the vice mayor said that Ali was a security aide of his brother. Asked why he was in Subic, Mangudadatu said that on Monday morning he had a meeting there regarding a bidding for vehicles that would be used for projects in his town. "After that meeting in the morning, I rushed back to Manila to meet Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno at 1:30 p.m. to talk about some development projects in our place," he told GMANews.TV. When asked if the suspect was with his entourage at SBMA, the vice Mayor said he did not notice he was with his group. "But I know Mohamedin Ali. He was from our place and a security aide of my brother," Mangudadatu said. He added that he was informed of the shooting incident involving his brother's aide when he was already in Manila. "I was surprised by the incident. But, you know, Ali was a member of Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit (Cafgu) and maybe he was in war-shock state at that time of the shooting," he said. Ali reportedly sought the help of SBMA officials to take him to the headquarters of the police Special Action Force (SAF) unit in Morong in Bataan for his safety. He was in a waiting room where the incident happened. It was not clear, however, why Ali sought for safety at the local SAF unit. Maddela said that a certain PO3 Nasser Dilangalen of the 1207 Police Provincial Mobile Group (PPMG) based in Tacurong City in Sultan Kudarat and Faustino Bernil, both assigned as security aide of Toto Mangudadatu, reported that their companion, Ali, was missing. "I called up SAF battalion commander P/Supt. Jonas Amparo to pick up Ali and keep him in their custody," Maddela said. Ali was with officers Edwin Nopal and Rexie Alinea of the SBMA Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) when SAF members arrived. Alinea recounted that when Ali drew his gun quickly upon seeing the SAF members. Nopal immediately wrestled with Ali to prevent him from shooting, but Ali managed to unleash four shots, Alinea added. “Masyado pong malaki kaya naigagalaw pa po nito ang kamay niya. Kaya nakapaputok pa po siya (Because he is bigger than me, he managed to free his arms from my grip and began shooting)," Nopal said. Of the four shots, two slugs went through the holding office where Ali was being held, and hit Abadia and Orines who came to visit Maddela. Senior Supt. Oscar Albayalde, Olongapo police chief, said Ali had been turned over to their custody on Monday night. He said Ali was being questioned by personnel of the police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Monday night. He would be subjected to inquest proceedings on Tuesday, Albayalde said, adding that Ali had not explained what provoked him to shoot Abadia and Orinez. - with John Bayarong/LBG, GMANews.TV