ILOILO CITY - Unidentified armed men ambushed three activists on board a vehicle last night injuring one and abducting two officials of militant organizations on Panay Island in what is seen as a the first attack on political activists on the island.

Jose Ely Garachico, 51, public information officer of the human rights groups Karapatan in Panay, suffered a bullet wound in the neck after the Mitsubishi pick-up truck he was driving was waylaid around 9:30 p.m. in Barangay Cabanbanan in Oton town, around 7 km south of Iloilo City. He was taken to the Iloilo Doctors Hospital in Iloilo City where he is undergoing treatment and possible surgery on his wound.

Garachicho's companions on board the vehicle, Ma. Luisa Posa-Dominado and Nilo Arado were believed to have been taken by their attackers, PO2 Rey Pabalan of the Oton police station said.

Hope Hervilla, Bayan Muna regional coordinator condemned the attack and immediately blamed the administration and the military.

"We could not think of other persons or groups responsible other than the death squads unleashed by the administration and the Armed Forces of the Philippines," Hervilla said in a telephone interview.

"They have brought the murders to Panay after spilling blood in other parts of the country. We demand justice for all the victims and the release of our two missing colleagues," Hervilla said.

Dominado, 52, is the spokesperson of the Samahan nga mga Ex-Detainees Laban sa Detensyon at Para sa Amnestiya (Selda-Panay) while Arado is chairperson of the militant Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) in Panay and national council member of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas.

Garachico told investigators that they were on their way home from the capital town of San Jose in Antique when they noticed a green colored Mitsubishi van tailing them in Tigbauan town, 14 km south of Iloilo City.

The three had just attended an assembly of the partylist group Anakpawis in Antique, said Hervilla. Garachico tried to outrun the van but it managed to overtake and cut the path of their vehicle in Barangay Cabanbanan, Oton.

Two armed men wearing short pants and T-shirts got off from the van, shot Garachico and ordered him to get off from the driver's seat. One of the armed men took over the vehicle and drove away with Dominado and Arado still on board.

Garachico who was left behind, was taken by the village chief to the police station and then to the hospital. Witnesses said the vehicle sped off in the direction of the town proper and Iloilo City, Pabalan said.

Police immediately set up check points in Oton but failed to apprehend the suspects or and locate the missing activists.

Dominado and Garachico were detained during the Martial Law. Dominado is one of the longest detained political prisoners in Western Visayas having spent seven years in detention despite managing to escape her captors thrice.*

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