Engineer slain, 2 others hurt in Cotabato City gun attacks

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COTABATO CITY — Police in this city have filed murder and frustrated murder charges against a construction worker who allegedly shot dead a site engineer at KCC Mall of Cotabato on Wednesday afternoon.

Col. Jibin Bongcayao, Cotabato City police director, said Engr. Roland Duga-an, 50, a resident of Pagadian City, was shot by the suspect about 3 p.m. Wednesday on the second floor of the shopping mall that was still under construction.

The suspect identified only as “Alias Ali,” was arrested after co-workers pointed him out as the gunman who shot Dagu-an in the head and body.

Bongcayao said Dagu-an was giving instructions to a lady engineer, who would assume administrative functions at the construction site, when the suspect appeared from behind and shot him.  Dagu-an died on the spot.

“He tried to escape but co-workers pointed to him as the gunman,” Bongcayao said of the suspect now detained at Police Station 1 detention facility.

Captain Rustan Deaño, Police Station 1 chief, said another worker named Rheno delos Santos, who hailed from  General Santos City, was hit by a stray bullet on his leg but was already recovering in the hospital.

An hour after Dagu-an’s shooting, a security guard of RD Pawnshop along Macacua Street, Cotabato City was shot and injured by a still unidentified gunman.

Dominic Villa, 51, a resident of Barangay Poblacion 7 here, was on duty at RD Pawnshop when a lone gunman approached him and opened fire. He was hit in his abdomen and arm but is now in stable condition at the hospital.