The vice mayor of Shariff Aguak, Akmad “Toto” Ampatuan was ambushed in Maguindanao four days after he was acquitted from Maguindanao massacre.
Ampatuan, close relative of the late Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr., just came out of the Shariff Aguak town hall when unidentified gunmen riding on motorbike shot him and his two bodyguards around 1pm Monday.
Ampatuan and his escort were injured and rushed to the hospital.
Police and Army soldiers were dispatched to run after the assailants.
His lawyer, Israelito Torreon, posted on Facebook saying Ampatuan is a state witness in the Maguindanao massacre that killed scores of journalists.
This is the third time he was ambushed following his decision to turn against his own relatives, he said.
“A principled man, he and his immediate family decided to break ranks from their relatives and he, particularly, decided to turn state witness against his own relatives, perpetrators of the Ampatuan Massacre,” Atty. Torreon said.
The vice mayor was hit in the right arm, the same area which was injured on the second ambush.
“They obviously want him dead because he is one of the main witnesses in the second wave of the Ampatuan Massacre case. There are still about 50 personalities who were allegedly involved in the Massacre but escaped indictment for various reasons, such as lack of witnesses, power, influence and money,” he added.
