Surigao del Norte town mayor survives ambush

The mayor of a town in Surigao del Norte survived an ambush at the boundary of Dapa and Tagana-an towns in the same province shortly before noon Monday. A police report said Tagana-an Mayor Cezar Alsong Diaz escaped unhurt from the shooting that occured at the boundary of Barangays Laurel (Tagana-an) and Union (Dapa) at 11:20 a.m. on Monday. An initial investigation showed that Diaz and his party were on board a black Toyota Fortuner that was headed to Surigao City when several unidentified armed men fired at them. The mayor's vehicle sustained 12 bullet holes. The suspects fled to an unknown direction after the incident, the police said. Wounded during the encounter were PO2 Anthony Pontevedra and 17-year-old Carme Andrea Diaz. The PNP report said the two were brought to the Caraga Regional Hospital in Surigao City for medical treatment and are now in "safe condition" while Diaz has returned to his home in Poblacion, Tagana-an. On the other hand, the Surigao del Norte Provincial Public Safety Company (PPSC) and Tagana-an Municipal Police Station (MPS) are still conducting an investigation on the incident. — with Kim Tan/RSJ, GMA News