Zamboanga Police Captured One Of Three Killers Of Ex-Soldier

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / September 12, 2008) – Police were interrogating Friday a man arrested in connection to the killing of a former army soldier in Zamboanga City in the southern Philippines, officials said.

Officials said Sali Asmad, 42, was arrested after a brief running gun battle with a policeman on Thursday. Three civilians were wounded in the cross-fire.

Asmad was wounded in the exchange of fire, but three civilians were also hit by stray bullets. Police said Asmad was one of three gunmen, who killed Salvador Piedad, a retired lieutenant in the army.

Piedad, 48, was driving his motorcycle with his two children when gunmen shot him in the head at busy road in San Jose village. Police said Asmad was believed to be a hired killer. (Erico Rosco)

Gunman Kills Ex-Army Soldier In Zamboanga City

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / September 11, 2008) – An unidentified gunman killed a former government soldier in an attack Thursday in the southern Philippine port city Zamboanga, police said.

Police said retired army lieutenant Santiago Piedad was shot outside a chapel in the village of San Jose Gusu. No individual or group claimed responsibility for the killing, but police held one person in connection to the attack.

“We are investigating the man for his possible link to the killing,” said Inspector Ibrahim Jambiran, head of a police task force.

Police said it is still investigating the motive of the attack. Another man was also shot and killed in the village or Recodo on Thursday.

Last week, motorcycle gunmen also killed a senior official of the state-run Technical Education and Skills Development Authority in Zamboanga City.

Arnold Pimentel, the administrator of the regional TESDA training center here, was shot in the head while on board his vehicle. TESDA is an agency under the Department of Education responsible for managing and supervising technical education and skills development in the Philippines. (Mindanao Examiner)