Kidapawan bishop backs BARMM call for impartial probe of Kabacan ambush

COTABATO CITY, Maguindanao, Philippines — Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo of the Diocese of Kidapawan believes an impartial and independent probe will shed light on the killing of nine people in Kabacan, Cotabato province on Saturday, Aug.29.

The prelate expressed full support on Monday to the call of the Bangsamoro Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) leadership for an independent, impartial and speedy probe on the killing.

Earlier, the Kabacan Municipal Police Sation reported that the victims were standing on the side of the road when gunmen on a motorbike opened fire.

But another account said the victims were on motorcycles when reportedly ordered to stop by still unidentified assailants who shot them with automatic weapons.

The Inquirer is still checking out from sources how the incident unfolded.

All the victims were unarmed.

Eight of the nine victims died on the spot while another was rushed to the hospital only to die afterwards.

“Both the Diocese of Kidapawan and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) national secretariat on social action NASSA) are one with the BARMM government in calling for an impartial investigation into the case of the nine Muslims who were summarily executed in Kabacan,” Bagaforo, who also heads CBCP-NASSA, said in a statement.

“We call on everyone, whatever their faith, to offer prayers for peace. May this incident not be the start of further violence,” Bagaforo said.

“We ask all our government leaders to do everything for justice to the victims and to exert all efforts to maintain peace among us,” he added.

Col. Henry Villar, chief of the Cotabato Police Provincial Office, appealed to the public to refrain from insinuating or speculating about the motives behind the attack “so as not to add fuel to the fire.”

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