21 Officers Die in Philippines Ambush
COTABATO, Philippines — Gunmen sprayed machine-gun fire on a police jeep, killing 21 officers and wounding another in an ambush that officials said Thursday stemmed from a family feud over a fishery project.
Army Col. Milton Tiburcio said the gunmen struck Wednesday in the town of Banga outside the industrial city of Cotabato, 580 miles south of Manila.
Tiburcio said the police had been escorting Sgt. Mohammed Mangudadatu from a criminal court where he was facing murder charges in the deaths of six men.
The six belonged to one faction of the Mangudadatu family, which has been torn by squabbles between two brothers, both town mayors, over a fishery project in Buluan Lake.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
