Cop intel officer slain in Cotabato City gun attack, another missing

Cotabato City. INQUIRER FILES

COTABATO CITY  – An off-duty police intelligence officer was shot dead by two gunmen while about to board his vehicle at the carpark of Cotabato City Mall about 7 p.m., Sunday, December 1.

Master Sgt. John Manuel Bongcawil, an intelligence officer assigned to the police regional office in Parang, Maguindanao del Norte, was with his family and relatives when attacked, according to Lt. Col. Jopy Ventura, spokesperson of Police Regional Officein the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR).

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He said Bongcawil sustained gunshot wounds in the head and stomach. The gunmen fled on board an NMAX motorcycle, Ventura said.

Boncawil was rushed to the hospital where he expired.

Brig. Gen. Romeo Macapaz, BARMM police regional director, condemned the attack against Bongcawil and directed the Cotabato City Police office to identify the perpetrators and bring them before the bar of justice.

This developed as police in Sultan Kudarat province launched a search operation for the missing police intelligence officer of Lambayong town police.

Master Sgt. Eduardo L. Ea, Jr. has been missing since Tuesday, November 26, according to the posts of his family and relatives on Facebook.

Ea hails from New Passi village in Tacurong City.

The Tacurong city police said in a statement that the missing policeman was last contacted by his wife on the evening of November 26 via messenger video call around 10 p.m.

“He was on official duty riding his Honda XR motorcycle when he went missing,” read a statement from the Tacurong city police.

Colonel Bernard Lao, the director of Sultan Kuradat police, called on the public to report to the authorities if they had information about the missing police officer.