KIDAPAWAN CITY (MindaNews/04 July) – An alleged vendor of illegal drugs who had earlier surrendered to police was killed while her son was wounded in a shooting incident Monday in Matalam, North Cotabato.
Senior Inspector Sunny Leoncito, chief of the Matalam police, identified the slain victim as Divina Sumlay, 42, and a resident of Purok Krislam, Poblacion.
The victim’s son, Benden, 20, was hit in the back by a stray bullet, Leoncito said in a radio interview.
He said Divina was selling fish inside the public market when a gunman pumped bullets into her head and chest.
Witnesses said the assailants wore black jackets and bonnets. They fled toward the northern part of Matalam after the killing on board a Kawasaki Bajaj motorcycle.
Leoncito said that Divina had yielded voluntarily to police after she was warned about her alleged involvement in illegal drugs through Oplan Tokhang (Tuktok Hangyo).
But she went back to selling illegal drugs a few months after, he said.
Police investigators denied Divina was killed by a “vigilante group”.
They said the killing could have be done by the drug syndicate for which she allegedly worked. (Malu Cadelina Manar/MindaNews)
