COTABATO CITY (MindaNews/28 August) — Three persons were killed and another one was wounded in four shooting incidents that happened in a span of 12 hours in the city.
The shooting incidents happened between 4pm Thursday and 4am Friday.
The first shooting incident, as relayed by a local resident, stemmed from a misunderstanding caused by the firing of a gun in a wedding event in Mother Barangay Poblacion as a way of welcoming the newly-weds.
A neighbor, however, reported the firing to police starting the conflict.
The police blotter said Kahar Bundula was shot by Akmad Bayao while he was walking along Salamat Street and SK Pendatun Extension at 4 p.m. after a heated argument early morning.
The victim suffered a wound in his back. Police recovered a spent shell of a cal. 45 pistol from the crime scene.
At about 8 p.m., Renato Manuel, a mechanical technician at Concha Drive, De Mazenod Avenue, Barangay Rosary Heights 3, was shot dead by two men aboard a motorbike.
Manuel sustained gunshot wounds from a cal. 45 pistol in his eye and armpit.
Investigators said the victim and the assailants appeared to be talking for a few minutes in front of his house when one of the two suspects opened fire. He was rushed to the hospital but declared dead on arrival.
At past 11 p.m., Tohame Ayunan of Barangay Bagua Mother was standing along Jose Lim Street when a man approached him and opened fire. He succumbed to two gunshot wounds from a cal. 45 pistol.
At past 4 a.m., Abu Iman Macasasa, pedicab driver, was waiting for passengers in front of City Arcade along Bonifacio Street when a man arrived on a motorbike and shot him dead.
Several shooting incidents had happened in the city the past days.
But Senior Supt. Rex Anongos, city police director, dismissed the incidents as isolated cases triggered more by personal grudge. He issued the statement in interviews by local radio stations.
City administrator Cynthia Sayadi told MindaNews at police precinct 1 on Thursday that “even if Superman is the mayor in the city, shooting could hardly be stopped”. (Ferdinandh B. Cabrera/MindaNews)
