Basilan town mayor survives bombing

ZAMBOANGA CITY: Two people, including a soldier, were wounded while a town mayor was unharmed in a roadside bombing at Sitio Sawiti, Barangay Duga-a in Tuburan, Basilan on Saturday.

Senior Insp. Said Omar Ismael, Tuburan police chief, identified the wounded soldier as Cpl. Christian Ibarreta of the Army’s 3rd Scout Ranger Battalion and Misuari Jamiri, driver of Tuburan Mayor Durie Kallahal.

Jamiri was transported by speed boat from Basilan to this city for medical treatment.

Col. Cirilo Donato, Army’s 104th Infantry Brigade commander, said Kallahal was unscathed since he disembarked before his vehicle tripped on an improvised explosive device fashioned out as a landmine.

The pick-up type vehicle of the mayor was riddled with shrapnel holes and its left rear tire was blown off as a result of the roadside bomb explosion.

Ismael said that Kallahal accompanied by 3rd Scout Ranger Battalion troops went to Sitio Sawiti, Barangay Calut to inspect the blast site where a bomb exploded around 10:15 a.m. Saturday.

No one was reported killed or wounded in the 10:15 a.m. incident since the bomb exploded in a vacant lot.

At that time, Kallahal and the troops of the Army’s 3rd Scout Ranger Battalion were conducting medical outreach mission in downtown Tuburan.

Both the military and police authorities said the roadside bombing was the handiwork of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) since Kallahal is known to be fighting against the bandit group in his town.