Buluan, Maguindanao del Sur, October 28, 2024 – A man narrowly escaped death in a shooting incident on Friday afternoon, marking the latest in a series of attacks targeting the family of a local political figure. Jedin “Kuya Ebz” Timpolok Daunotan, brother of a councilor candidate from Team Malimo, was attacked by armed men while transporting a passenger on his motorcycle in the Poblacion area of Buluan, Maguindanao del Sur.
According to Daunotan, two individuals on a red Baja Kawasaki motorcycle approached him on Gumamale Street around 3:50 p.m. and began firing as he drove. One of the gunmen aimed for Daunotan’s head but miraculously, the firearm misfired, allowing him to swerve away from additional gunshots and escape. Seeking refuge, he managed to reach the nearby Masjid Norjana, where he serves as an imam alongside his father, who maintains the mosque.
The suspects’ bullets hit the sidecar of Daunotan’s motorcycle but failed to injure him. Following the incident, popular Moro singer Datu Khomeini Camsa Bansuan, a close friend of Daunotan, expressed gratitude that his partner in music remained unharmed.
Daunotan, known locally for his Qur’an recitations and piano performances, is the second family member of a Team Malimo council candidate to experience violence in recent days. Just days earlier, on October 25, Saddam Idsa, son of councilor aspirant Mamalangkas Idsa, was fatally shot in a separate incident. This series of violent attacks has led the families to publicly appeal for justice.
The victims’ families are calling on Governor Bai Mariam Sangki Mangudadatu, Congressman Datu Thong Paglas, and the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to aid in the pursuit of justice and to address ongoing violence in Buluan. They have expressed frustration with the frequency of these incidents and are urging authorities to hold those responsible accountable to ensure the safety of the community.
Police investigations are ongoing, with authorities working to identify and apprehend the perpetrators involved in the attacks on Daunotan and the Idsa family.
