Mayor arrested after he and his men fire at truck

Mindanao: Five people were killed and a dozen injured when a mayor and his securitymen fired at a truck which he thought was full of his political opponents in southern Philippines, a military spokesman said.

The spokesman said the town mayor was arrested and the police personnel along with him were sacked for the attack.

"There is an investigation going on about the motive of the attack that was apparently started by Mayor Floro Allado in the town of Banisilan. We suspect it had something to do with local politics and a family feud. He was arrested," Brigadier General Nehemias Pajarito said yesterday.

Initial reports said that four people were instantly killed during the firing incident on Thursday. One person had died while being treated in a hospital. Earlier, Allado said in a radio interview, "We did not initiate the firing. I fired back because those in the truck shot at me first. I was not hit."

Giving his version of the shooting incident, Allado said he suspected that the truck was full of armed men. When police flagged down the truck, they were fired upon, he added.

But district chairman Jennifer Macalingcag contradicted the mayor's statement, saying that Allado shot the first volley of fire. "He thought that the men on the truck were his political rivals," said Macalingcag.

Amelil Apas, a passenger aboard the truck, said that he and other farmers were selling agricultural products in Banisilan town. An armed government militiaman was with them, but he did not fire his gun, he said.