Suspect questioned in Belmonte ambush

MANILA, Philippines - Security forces are questioning a man tagged by witnesses in the ambush that wounded Iligan Rep. Vincent Belmonte Jr. last Thursday in Laguindingan, Misamis Oriental.

Dominador Tumala of Zamboanga, who was taken into custody yesterday, is said to be a rebel returnee.

Laguindingan Vice Mayor Diosdado Obsioma said Tumala was identified by witnesses as among the gunmen who staged the ambush on Belmonte’s convoy, which killed three of his aides.

The motive for the attack remains unclear, although Belmonte has expressed suspicion that it was politically motivated.

Obsioma said a storeowner in Purok Clarin, Barangay Gasi, had alerted the military on Tumala as an unknown customer loitering around the place.

The suspect reportedly pretended to be lost and was unable to explain why he was in the area.

Maj. Christian Uy, spokesman for the Army’s 4th Infantry Division, said Army T/Sgt. Ronnie Villegas led a team of militiamen in arresting Tumala.

Arresting lawmen seized from Tumala a cellphone with a text message telling him to escape.

The message reportedly read: “paningkamot nga makagawas ka diha,” which loosely translates to “make an effort to free yourself from that place.”

Tumala was taken into custody by the joint team of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group investigating the case.

 Tumala tested positive for gunpowder burns, indicating that he had fired a gun, further bolstering suspicions that he was among the gunmen who ambushed the convoy of Belmonte.

“Apparently, though our ground troops are still verifying this along with our police counterparts, Tumala, along with his two of cohorts, failed to catch up with their waiting colleagues at their designated pickup point at Barangay Liberty also in Laguindingan. Barangay Liberty has been established as the suspects’ route of withdrawal,” Uy said. – Gerry Lee-Gorit, Lino de la Cruz