Mangudadatu escort kills 'Ampatuan hitman' in Davao mall

(Updated 9:51 p.m.) A member of the the powerful Ampatuan clan allegedly attacked Maguindanao gubernatorial bet Esmael "Toto" Mangudadatu in a Davao City mall on Thursday evening, but ended up being shot dead himself by a Mangudadatu bodyguard. Mangudadatu told GMANews.TV in a phone interview that he was at the Gaisano Grand Citimall Ilustre in Davao City when a man assaulted him. "Kasama ko ang anak ko. Namimili kami ng damit para sa February 14 (I was with my children, buying clothes for February 14 when the incident happened)," he said. Authorities identified Mangudadatu's alleged attacker as Tamano Camalindan a.k.a. Tamano Mamalapat, a resident of Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao, and reportedly with a standing warrant of arrest against him. Mamalapat is also reportedly a nephew of suspended Maguindanao Governor Andal Ampatuan Sr, who is among the 197 people charged with murder in connection with the November 23 massacre. Mangudadatu claimed that Mamalapat was the clan patriarch's "hitman." According to Mangudadatu, his two bodyguards protected him, with one of them shooting Mamalapat. "Nag-agawan sila ng baril ng bodyguard ko (One of my bodyguards and the suspect fought for the gun)," he said. In a phone interview with GMANews.TV, Davao City police said they received a report about the shooting incident at around 7 p.m. Responding police arrived at the site together with Davao City mayor Rodrigo Duterte, radio dzMM reported, and are still investigating the incident as of posting time.—Andreo Calonzo/JV/MDM, GMANews.TV