Town exec slain in attack

LANAO DEL SUR, Philippines — A municipal councilor in this province was killed while four others were wounded in an attack on the residence of a former mayor in Balabagan town here on Saturday.

Nasif Basil, councilor of Kapatagan town, was at the house of former Balabagan mayor Amer Sampiano when a group of armed men arrived and strafed the compound, Chief Superintendent Graciano Mijares, chief of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao police, said yesterday.

Basil died at the scene while Alvin Sampiano, Bibih Disalongan, Topah Disalongan and Bensoud Mangigin were taken to a hospital for treatment of gunshot wounds.

The assailants fled in a waiting Toyota FX, report said.

Probers have yet to identify the assailants and determine the motive for the attack.

The report did not say if Sampiano was in the area when the attack occurred.

Brig. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, chief of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said the miltary is helping the police investigate the case.