Two Marines dead in separate Cotabato City shootings

COTABATO CITY – Three persons, including a Marine sergeant, were killed while two others were injured in separate shooting incidents here on Friday, the police said Saturday.

Cotabato City Police chief Senior Supt. Rolly Octavio identified the slain Marine sergeant as Ferdinand Ulang, assigned with the 7^th Marine Battalion Landing Team (MBLT-7) based in Upi, Maguindanao.

Police said Ulang and Marine Sgt. Arnel Navarro, who is also assigned with the MBLT-7, were on a motorbike and were heading to the downtown area when they were shot by unidentified men on separate motorbikes at around 1:30 p.m.

Ulang died on the spot while Navarro was injured and was rushed to a hospital for treatment, police said.

About three hours later, Marine officers who were attending to the remains of Ulang at the Villa Funeral Homes here were also shot at by two suspected guns for hire, police said.

A Marine officer identified as Alfredo Tumbaga died in the attack.

The other Marine officers then pursued the gunmen and traded gunfire. One of the gunmen was killed. He was later identified as Mohammad Saud Andes, 22.

The other gunman, identified as Badjorie Karim, 28, was injured and is now under police custody.  Police said Andes and Karim are residents of Barangay Rosary Heights 3.

Octavio said the motives behind the separate attacks are still being determined.  /muf