3 dead in 2 gun attacks in Maguindanao, Cotabato

COTABATO CITY—A village secretary in Maguindanao and two construction workers in Cotabato were killed in separate gun attacks on Tuesday (July 28).

Mahdi T. Simpal, village secretary of the village of Malingao, Shariff Aguak town in Maguindanao died from multiple gunshot wounds after gunmen opened fire at him while he was inside a white Toyota Innova parked in front of a pharmacy in the town’s public market at 8 a.m., a Shariff Aguak official said.

His attackers were on board a black SUV without license plate. The gunmen used .45 caliber pistols and fled as Simpal died on the spot.

In Pigcawayan town, Cotabato province, two construction workers were shot and killed by still unidentified gunmen at the village of Presibetro past 11 a.m.

Maj. Ivan Samoraga, Pigcawayan police chief, identified the victims as Ariel Ballescas, 40, and his nephew, Michael Ballescas, both residents of Presbitero.

Samoraga said the two were working on a building when the suspects on board a motorcycle arrived and opened fire.

TSB