COTABATO CITY – Unidentified men shot dead an Army soldier near a military detachment in Datu Salibo town in Maguindanao Saturday morning, authorities said.
Datu Salibo Mayor Norodin Salasal identified the victim as Private First Class Samsudin Mokammad of the 57th Infantry Battalion and a resident of Datu Piang, Maguindanao.
Initial police reports said one of two motorcycle-riding men shot Mokammad at close range with an automatic rifle, whose caliber has not been ascertained yet.
Investigators said Mokammad had just emerged from a local store in Barangay (village) Crossing Pagatin – which is about 300 meters away from a military detachment – when attacked around 8 a.m.
Mokammad instantly died from at least 10 gunshot wounds in different parts of his body, the police said.
Esmie Simpal-Olong, a relative of the victim, said they believed his work as a soldier was the main reason for the attack on Mokammad.
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