Village exec in ‘narco list’ gunned down in South Cotabato

GENERAL SANTOS CITY--Gunmen shot dead a barangay chairman in Surallah town in South Cotabato who was included in President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s “narco list” while attending a town celebration on Thursday morning.

Chief Insp. Jardi Mont Sibal, Surallah police chief, said Upper Sepaka barangay chair Pudi Udasan Ambalgan, 53, was gunned down by two motorcycle-riding suspects near the municipal hall at around 8:30 a.m.

Sibal said the Ambalgan had just participated in a parade in connection with the town’s farmers’ day celebration when he was shot.

The event was among the highlights of Surallah’s five-day 1st Surbetube Festival and 55th foundation anniversary celebration that opened on Wednesday.

Citing accounts from witnesses, Sibal said Ambalgan was standing near their village’s booth located a few meters from the town’s roundball or rotunda when the gunmen approached and fired several shots.

He said the victim, who sustained two gunshot wounds on his back from a caliber 45 handgun, managed to call for help before going unconscious.

Ambalgan, who lost his reelection bid in the last May 14 barangay elections, was initially brought to the Landero Hospital in Surallah town.

He was transferred to the Allah Valley Medical Specialists’ Center Inc. Hospital in Koronadal City but was declared dead upon arrival at past 9 a.m. by attending doctors.

Sibal said they immediately launched hot pursuit operations but failed to catch up with the suspects,   

He refused to speculate on the motive of the incident but said their investigators are currently considering all possible angles, including personal grudges and the victim’s alleged involvement in illegal drug-related activities.

“They’re likely hired gunmen but we’re still looking into that,” he said in a radio interview.

Surallah Mayor Antonio Bendita condemned the incident and directed authorities to exert all efforts to arrest the suspects and eventually resolve the case.

Bendita said Ambalgan has pending administrative and criminal cases, both drug-related.

Ambalgan was biefly arrested and detained in 2015 by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency after yielding several firearms and drug paraphernalia in a raid at his house in Sto. Nino town in South Cotabato, but was able to post bail.

He was arrested anew last January 31 by elements from the Police Regional Office (PRO)-12’s drug enforcement unit in a search operation in Barangay Upper Sepaka, Surallah.

Seized during the raid were two caliber 45 handguns, a carbine rifle, and assorted ammunition.

But Ambalgan, who was listed by the PRO-12 as a “high-value target” drug personality, again managed to post bail and even ran for reelection in the barangay polls. (PNA)