MANILA, Philippines — A total of 300 police officers will be deployed in Cotabato City in preparation for the Oct. 30 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections and as a reaction to the Oct. 24 shooting in which two village councilor candidates and a local resident were killed, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Wednesday.
The officers will come from the Police Regional Office Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR), Col. Jean Fajardo, the PNP spokesperson and public information office chief, said in a press briefing.
“We already deployed a SAF [Special Action Force] contingent there. And there are also marines there. I asked them if there was already a decision to raise the status of Cotabato City,” Fajardo said in Filipino.
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Citing reports from the regional director of PRO-BAR, Fajardo said that Rosary Heights 12 in Cotabato City was already put under the yellow category as it is an area with previous election-related incidents.
However, Fajardo said that PRO-BAR assured them that the situation in the city remained “manageable,” saying that the previous shooting incident was an isolated case.
Attacked while hanging posters
Based on police reports, village councilor candidates Nur-Moqtadin K. Butucan and Alfar Singh Ayunan Pasawiran, along with a local resident Faisal Abas, were hanging posters in Rosary Heights 12 when armed men attacked them.
Two other citizens with them, namely Saipul Sapalon and Fajeed Daud, were injured following the shooting at around 9:30 p.m. on Monday.
All the wounded were brought to Cotabato Regional and Medical Center, where Butucan, Pasawiran, and Abas were declared dead on arrival.
Following the attack, police launched hot pursuit and clearing operations with the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group that led to the arrest of the following suspects:
- Juhalidin Ladesla Abdul alias Boyong (barangay chairman candidate in Rosary Heights 12)
- Police Master Sergeant Pauti Dianal Mamalapat (resident in Sousa Extention)
- Mishal Malang Mamalapat (resident of Sousa Extension)
- Dixie Mahinay Garcia (resident of Rosary Heights 12)
- Arman Mamalangkal (construction worker and resident of Bagua 2)
- Ronda Midtimbang Bansuan (social worker and a resident of Rosary Heights 12)
- Jayson Manguda Bansuan (student and resident of Guindulungan, Maguindanao del Sur)
- Surin Alon Kamad (student and resident Guindulungan, Maguindanao del Sur)
- Daniel Gumat Paguital (resident of Guindulungan, Maguindanao del Sur)
- Nordin Gueamel Alay (farmer and resident of Guindulungan, Maguindanao del Sur)
- Abedin Saban Guinat (resident of Guindulungan, Maguindanao del Sur)
- Buts Saban Tepay (farmer and resident of Guindulungan, Maguindanao del Sur)