Chief Inspector Matthew Baccay, Talomo police chief said Lindongan Sinsuat, of Cotabato City, died on the spot along the highway near Royal Valley at 11:30 a.m. Monday.
Baccay told MindaNews they have witnesses who said two men riding on a motorcycle fired at the passenger van carrying Sinsuat. Two of three women passengers were injured and brought to Davao Doctors' Hospital.
The flash report filed by investigator Esteban Fernandez, however, identified the victim as Ting A. Tula, 40, from Kabacan, North Cotabato.
But Baccay told reporters that the slain man was Sinsuat, the same person tagged by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) as part of the drug matrix Mayor Rodrigo Duterte presented to the city council here in October.
On Oct. 17, Mayor Rodrigo Duterte named Mayor Talib Abo of Parang, Maguindanao, his wife and 19 others as major players in the illegal drugs trade in Mindanao. No charges had been filed since for lack of evidence against the Parang mayor.
Duterte was summoned by the city council to identify the “mayor from Maguindanao” he referred to in his public pronouncements as having been involved in shipping illegal drugs into the city.
Among those in the mayor's list was a Sinsuat.
Police said last week Sinsuat was nabbed in Cotabato City for carnapping charges here. He was reportedly moved to Davao City where his warrant of arrest was issued.
Baccay said the suspect had posted bail and may have been on his way back to Cotabato when killed.
The ambush of Sinsuat followed the death of suspected drug leader Luis Francisco on Oct. 4 in a subdivision here. Francisco, who made a deal with drug enforcers, gave a list of persons involved in the illegal drugs network. (Walter I. Balane/MindaNews)