LGU offers P500,000 bounty for arrest of killers of CSU members in S. Cotabato

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

KORONADAL CITY — A P500,000 bounty has been put up for anyone who can provide information that will lead to the identification and arrest of gunmen behind the murder of four members of the civil security unit (CSU) of Polomolok, South Cotabato.

Mayor Bernie “Jojo” Palencia announced the reward money on Tuesday to fast-track the resolution of the successive murder of four municipal CSU members, including a retired police major serving as CSU intelligence chief.

Among the four slain CSU members, retired Major Donald Cabigas, 56, was shot inside his LPG store in Barangay Poblacion on Jan. 9, the fourth and the latest municipal CSU member killed in a series of gun attacks that started in November last year.

Palencia said that on November 18, CSU member Adonis Dionela was shot dead by still unidentified gunmen in the municipal cemetery where he was assigned as security personnel.

On Friday, January 6, unidentified gunmen shot dead two other CSU members along the national highway in Barangay Sulit, Polomolok, South Cotabato.

The victims were identified as retired police officer Bonifacio Cabisada, 58, and Jessie Arciete, 56, both bodyguards of Palencia. They were both driving separate motorbikes at past 6 p.m. when attacked.

“The gunmen and the victims were seen talking to each other while traveling on motorbikes, so the theory was they knew each other,” the mayor said, citing witnesses’ accounts.

Cabigas was inside his family-owned LPG store in Barangay Poblacion when two men barged inside and shot him several times.

A closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage showed the two suspects walking near the LPG store, then barged inside and opened fire.

The shooting was over in 20 seconds. Then the suspects fled and boarded two separate motorbikes waiting by the roadside and sped away.

Scene of the crime operatives found at least 17 empty shells for caliber .45 and 9-mm pistols. A sling bag believed to be owned by Cabigas was found at the crime scene. It contained bullets for cal. 45 pistol but the firearm was gone.

“It is hard to say if these are the handiwork of one group or several groups, our police are still investigating,” Palencia said in a news conference.

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Retired police major slain in South Cotabato gun attack

JPV