KIDAPAWAN CITY (MindaNews/ July 21) – Unidentified gunmen shot dead inside their house in Barangay Paco a couple allegedly involved in a series of robbery cases here.
Supt. Ramel Hojilla, Kidapawan City police director, said Experidium Gundemaro, 50, and his partner, Merlita Calungsod, were killed inside their house at Barangay Paco at a little past 1 a.m. on Saturday.
Citing initial reports from the investigation unit, Hojilla said the armed suspects forcibly entered the victims’ house and upon seeing Gundemaro sleeping soundly in one room, shot him twice on his head.
One of the bullets allegedly hit Calungsod when it passed through her room, which is adjacent to Gundemaro’s.
Calungsod’s child, who was with her during the attack, was unhurt, reports said.
Hojilla hinted those behind the couple’s slay could have been victims of their robbery activities.
Police records showed that Gundemaro and Calungsod’s brother were members of a robbery gang operating in Kidapawan City and nearby towns in North Cotabato.
Calungsod’s brother, however, was killed in a shooting incident, also in Barangay Paco, in 2017.
It is likely, police said, that Gundemaro’s partner was also actively involved in robbery incidents.
After the killing in 2017 of Calungsod’s brother, Gundemaro was said to have left Kidapawan City.
“When Gundemaro’s presence at Barangay Paco was monitored days ago, maybe, the suspects were informed about it, and so the plan to kill their targets was hatched,” said Hojilla.
Police recovered from the crime scene spent bullets from caliber 45 pistol gun. (Malu Cadelina Manar / MindaNews)