REPORTS: AMBUSH SUSPECT KILLED ‘I am not afraid in fight vs drugs’

By Jigger Jerusalem Associate Editor

LANAO del Sur Gov. Mamintal Adiong Jr. has asserted his campaign against illegal drugs will continue as he urged his constituents in the province to cooperate with anti-narcotics agencies just a few days after he survived an attempt on his life.

“I am appealing to my fellow citizens to report to authorities if there are illegal drugs in their communities, “ Adiong said in a social media post Wednesday, Feb. 22.

He said it is the people who can help the local government and the Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council in stamping out the illegal drugs in Lanao del Sur.

“I am not afraid to fight against illegal drugs because if I fear, who will defend my constituents against it?” Adiong added.

The governor is currently recuperating in a private hospital here after surviving an ambush in Maguing town of the same province Friday, Feb. 17, where four of his security staff were killed.

In another Facebook post, Adiong said he did not expect he and his convoy were the target of an attack.

“I thought it was raindrops that hit our vehicles. They were actually bullets. I told my driver to just keep driving,” he said.

He said that until now he still could not believe that he was the subject of an ambush as his family has no “rido” or personal or political feud, adding that he still felt saddened by the death of his four staff members.

Meanwhile, the League of Provinces of the Philippines, represented by the country’s 81 governors, strongly condemned the ambush and attempt on the life of Adiong.

“The League unanimously approved a resolution during its 3rd General Assembly on 18 February 2023, calling out the ambush as a ‘disservice not only to the people of Lanao del Sur, but to the entire nation,’” the group said in a statement.

His colleagues wished Adiong and those who were hurt fast recovery, and expressed condolence to the families of the four fatalities.

On the other hand, they emphasized that the violence committed against Gov. Adiong, “is also a violence committed against the safety of all Provincial Governors.”

Meanwhile, media reports, quoting a police update, said one of the suspects in the ambush was killed during an encounter with authorities during their pursuit operation in Maguing in the evening of Feb. 17.

The killed individual was known only as alias “Otin.” (MT)

He said as the number of tourists clearly grows, the government must prepare the infrastructure in Lampinigan and Malamawi to accommodate the influx of visitors, and to protect the pristine conditions of two islands.

According to HB 7159, Lampinigan is a premier tourism spot in Isabela City that is being frequented by thousands of local and foreign visitors every year. The island is said to be one of the country’s best white beaches, at par with more popular ones such as Boracay Island.

The measure mandates the Department of Tourism (DOT), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and other concerned government agencies to prioritize the protection and development of Lampinigan Island.

“Within one year from the approval of this Act, the DOT, DENR, local government of Isabela City in coordination with the District Representative of the Lone District of Basilan, and other concerned government agencies and civil society organizations, shall formulate the Lampinigan Ecotourism Development Plan (LEDP) involving the construction, installation, and maintenance of appropriate facilities and infrastructure which shall enhance tourism in Lampinigan Island,” the bill read.

The measure also calls for the establishment of a Lampinigan Ecotourism Board to be chaired by the City Mayor of Isabela and will have officials from the DOT and DENR as co-vice chairpersons. Other members of the board include the representative of the lone district of Basilan, the City Tourism Officer and Natural Resources Officer, and representatives from NGOs. (PNA)