Cotabato City village chief survives ambush; 5 pals hurt
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- Police Scene of the Crime Operatives conduct post-crime investigation along Mabini Street, Cotabato City after the Toyota van of Edris Ayunan Pasawiran was ambushed by still unidentified gunmen on Friday night, June 7, 2024. | PHOTO: DXMS Radio
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- Police Scene of the Crime Operatives conduct post-crime investigation along Mabini Street, Cotabato City after the Toyota van of Edris Ayunan Pasawiran was ambushed by still unidentified gunmen on Friday night, June 7, 2024. | PHOTO: DXMS Radio
COTABATO CITY – A village official survived an ambush that happened along a busy street here on Friday evening, police said.
Colonel Querubin Manalang Jr,, Cotabato City police director, said in an interview that unidentified gunmen ambushed a Toyota Grandia of Edris Ayunan Pasawiran, village chief of Barangay Kalanganan 2, while he and companions were traveling along Mabini Street, Barangay Bagua 3 at about 8 p.m.
READ: Suspect in murder of Maguindanao Sur police officer nabbed in Cotabato
“Initially, there were five persons injured, two of them in critical condition,” Manalang told reporters on Friday night.
He added that per initial information, Pasawiran was unhurt.
Manalang said police investigators are yet to speak with the victims and their families to help determine the motive of the attack.
“When the police arrived at the crime scene, the victims already were out of the van,” Manalang said.
Police Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) recovered about 100 pieces of empty shells of a yet unknown weapon at the ambush site beside Pasawiran’s van which was riddled with bullets.
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- Police Scene of the Crime Operatives conduct post-crime investigation along Mabini Street, Cotabato City after the Toyota van of Edris Ayunan Pasawiran was ambushed by still unidentified gunmen on Friday night, June 7, 2024. | PHOTO: DXMS Radio
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- Police Scene of the Crime Operatives conduct post-crime investigation along Mabini Street, Cotabato City after the Toyota van of Edris Ayunan Pasawiran was ambushed by still unidentified gunmen on Friday night, June 7, 2024. | PHOTO: DXMS Radio
Manalang also said that minutes after the ambush, a mini-van was recovered in Barangay Rosary Heights 3 with a caliber .45 pistol, two bottles of gasoline, and a bloodstain at the driver’s seat.
Police are determining if the Mazda mini-van (plate numbrr NBC-1215) has something to do with the ambush against the village official.
Cotabato City Mayor Bruce Matabalao has condemned the ambush and directed the police to look deeper into the case.
Lawyer Naguib Sinarimbo, president of Serbisyong Inklusibo, Alyansang Progresibo (SIAP) political party in Bangsamoro region, condemned the ambush against Pasawiran.
“The SIAP party stands in outrage and strong condemnation over the violent ambush of our party member, Chairman Edris Pasawiran,” said Sinarimbo.
“No reason in this world justifies this cowardly act of violence and causing the suffering of one another,” he said, adding that the party is closely working with police authorities.
Pasawiran’s son was slain in a shooting incident at the height of the campaign for the village and youth polls in October last year.
