ZAMBOANGA CITY: A medical doctor in Basilan province survived a gun attack in the southern Philippine port city of Zamboanga, and on Friday, the police launched an investigation into the attempted murder. Before midnight on Thursday, Dr. Chao-Tiao Yumol was driving his car with three passengers when motorcycle-riding gunmen opened fire on his vehicle, but a bulletproof curtain, hanging by his side, saved his life. “That bulletproof curtain, which I improvised, saved my life. I could have been shot in the chest,” he said. Yumol told the police that one of the attackers was attempting to shoot him again, but the gun jammed, and the ambushers fled on a motorcycle. “I saw him trying to shoot again, but his gun apparently jammed,” he said. When police asked the 36-year-old doctor the probable motives for the attack, Yumol replied, “It is political,” but did not elaborate. Yumol said they were going home when the gunmen, who were waiting for them on a road in Lunzuran village, attacked his car. “I did not see their faces. They were both wearing motorcycle helmets and clad in jackets. They are medium-built,” he added, describing to the police the attackers’ physical appearance. Police investigators recovered an empty shell and one slug of a suspected .45-caliber pistol from the area. “A thorough investigation is still being conducted by Zamboanga City police Station Five for the possible identification and immediate arrest of the suspects,” Cpt. Edwin Duco, a regional police spokesman, said.
