Cop hurt in Cotabato ambush dies in hospital

Corporal Santhy Ben Marcelo Buagas. Contributed photo

PIKIT, Cotabato–An off-duty police officer who was ambushed and critically injured here on Wednesday died on Friday while undergoing medical treatment at a hospital in Kidapawan City.

Corporal Santhy Ben Marcelo Buagas, 28, of Alamada, Cotabato, and member of 1203rd Regional Police Mobile Group (RPMG), was driving his motorbike to report for work when he was shot by two men in Barangay Batulawan here around 11 a.m.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of a member of our police force. We assure the family of our strong determination and commitment to those responsible for the attack of one of our men,” Police Brig. Gen. Alexander Tagum, director of Police Regional Office 12 said in a statement.

Police recovered empty shells of cal. 45 pistol at the scene.

Buagas was rushed to a nearby hospital and moved to Kidapawan Medical Special Hospital for further medication. He died Friday morning.

Tagum has directed the Cotabato police provincial office to intensify the manhunt against the perpetrators and bring them before the bar of justice.

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