No leads yet on attack on Maguindanao mayor

MANILA, Philippines — Police have yet to gather leads on the identities of the men behind a shooting incident in Pasay City that wounded the mayor of Datu Montawal town in Maguindanao del Sur on Wednesday.

Four days after the shooting, Southern Police District (SPD) director Brig. Gen. Kirby John Kraft said investigators have yet to establish the motive for the attack on Mayor Ohto Montawal.

Kraft said a municipal board member, who was with Montawal in a Toyota Hi-Ace van, told probers the mayor has no enemies.

Montawal and his seven companions were headed to Gil Puyat Avenue after attending the League of Municipalities of the Philippines assembly at the Manila Hotel.

Footage of a closed-circuit television camera showed two men on a motorcycle, one armed with a handgun, were involved in the attack.

The gunman shot Montawal, who was seated in the middle of the vehicle.

Kraft said Montawal is recuperating in an undisclosed hospital from gunshot wounds in the body and hand.

Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos has ordered an investigation into the incident, the third attack against a local official in recent days.

The Philippine National Police has formed a special investigation team to probe the crime, Abalos said.

He said witnesses have come forward to help shed light on the case.

Last Sunday, Aparri Vice Mayor Rommel Alameda was killed along with five others in an ambush in Bagabag, Nueva Vizcaya.

Days before the killing of Alameda, Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal Adiong was wounded in an attack that killed four of his police escorts.