P500,000 bounty up for information on Cotabato City exec’s killer

Cotabato City Mayor Mohammad ‘Bruce’ Matabalao is offering a P500,000 bounty to anyone who could provide information on the identity of the gunman who killed the city operations officer of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office on March 1, 2024. INQUIRER FILES

COTABATO CITY — Cotabato City Mayor Mohammad ‘Bruce’ Matabalao on Friday offered a P500,000 bounty to anyone who could provide information on the identity of the gunman who killed the city operations officer of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO) on March 1.

Matabalao made the offer during the necrological services for Jose Raymond “Choco” Marquez, CDRRMO operations chief, at the city hall lobby before his burial Friday at the Marian Hills Memorial Park.

“No one can fill in the shoes of Marquez in the city disaster response unit because of his dedication and passion to serve,” Matabalao said of Marquez.

“He was full of innovations in responding to calamities and in saving lives,” Matabalao added.

Matabalao urged anyone who has information about who killed Marquez to share it with the Cotabato City police, assuring them that their identity would remain strictly confidential.

READ: Local trader, son slain in Cotabato town gun attack

Marquez was driving home on a motorbike when shot by a gunman at the corner of Sinsuat Avenue and Gen. Luna Street at about 9 p.m. on March 1.

He was pronounced dead on arrival at the Cotabato Regional and Medical Center.

Earlier, a city councilor raised alarm over the series of gun attacks in the city, many of which happened even in broad daylight.

City Councilor Gabby Usman said it appeared that the killing has become a “normal scenario” in the city and called on the police to take decisive action.