Manila, Jan. 27 -- The Philippine National Police (PNP) is probing local politics as a possible motive behind the ambush on Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao del Sur Mayor Akmad Mitra Ampatuan, which marked the fourth attempt on his life.

"Ang unang anggulo na tiningnan natin yung local tension kaugnay ng lokal na pulitika na nagresulta sa pagkaka-hire ng mga gun-for-hire (The first angle we're looking at here is the local tension related to local politics that resulted in the hiring of gunmen-for-hire)," PNP information chief and spokesperson Brig. Gen. Randulf Tuano said in a television interview Tuesday.

He added that investigators are also looking into a possible retaliation angle but this has yet to be confirmed.

Ampatuan survived the at...