Cop wounded in Cotabato City ambush, kills 1 of 2 assailants

COTABATO CITY—Two gunmen ambushed a policeman, who was on his way home and managed to fire back and kill one of the assailants.

The attack took place on the busy Sinsuat Avenue here at the village of Rosary Heights 9 past 3 p.m. on Friday (Aug. 21).

Col. Richard Fiesta, Cotabato City police director, said the target of the attack, MSgt Salipuddin Pangawilan was heading home in his car when the motorcycle-riding assailants fired at him.

Pangawilan is with the Guindulungan municipal police force in Maguindanao province who goes home to Cotabato City.

Pangaliwan was hit on the shoulder but managed to fire at his attackers with his M-4 rifle, hitting one of the gunmen.

Policemen, who rushed to the crime scene, brought Pangawilan and one of his assailants to the Cotabato Regional and Medical Center. The gunman was declared dead there.

Police later identified the slain gunman as Edir Sandiga, of Guindulungan town in Maguindanao province. He suffered gunshot wounds in the head and body.

Fiesta said that the slain gunman’s companion, who was also armed with a handgun, sped away from the scene and jumped into the Esteros River, leaving his motorcycle beside the highway.

Police are still determining the motive for the attack on Pangawilan.

TSB