Police, Army hunt down gunmen who killed 6 militiamen in Cotabato

ALEOSAN, Cotabato – Police and military authorities have launched a manhunt against gunmen who killed six government militiamen and wounded four others in Barangay (village) Tapudoc here on Friday afternoon.

Three were also killed on the side of the armed group that first ambushed and killed Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) member Raul Santillan at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, according to Maj. Jenefer Amotan, Aleosan police chief.

READ: 6 gov’t militias slain in Cotabato clash

Colonel Donald Gumiran, commander of the Army’s 602nd Infantry Brigade, said troopers from the Army’s 90th Infantry Battalion and elements from Aleosan municipal police station are now pursuing the gunmen.

Gumiran said Santillan was alone on his motorbike heading to Barangay Tapudoc’s CAFGU detachment when waylaid by an undetermined number of gunmen.

His colleagues in the detachment responded and proceeded to the site where they found Santillan lying dead along the dirt road.

The militiamen then conducted pursuit operations and encountered about 50 heavily armed gunmen who engaged them in a firefight that lasted for more than two hours.

Gumiran said the gunmen belonging to local lawless groups operating in the mountains of Aleosan and Pikit towns fled when government reinforcements arrived.

Police identified the CAFGU fatalities as Jomar Roben, Jesry Galo, Melvin Cabrerra, Moises Galo and Johnrey Cabrerra and Santillan, the first fatality.

Wounded militias were identified as Ariel Wacan, Gibel Galo, Harison Galo and Dante Boboy, a civilian volunteer.

On the enemy side, killed were Pikal Taya, Taher Odin and Sammy Ayunan. A certain Tikoy Piang was injured.

About a hundred families from the villages of Tapudoc and Bualan have fled to safer grounds while the military and police pursuit operations continue.

Amotan said a long-standing rido exists between some members of the militia and gunmen in Barnagay Tapudoc.

/MUF