North Cotabato town mayor survives ambush; janitor takes hit

COTABATO CITY – A suspected sniper shot at the current mayor of Libungan town in North Cotabato but missed, wounding instead the municipal hall’s utility worker standing nearby Monday afternoon, police said.

Mayor Christopher “Amping” Cuan was about to board his service vehicle at the vicinity of the Libungan town hall around 1:40 p.m. when bursts of gunfire were heard and witnesses saw Alejandro Catulong, 57, a janitor, falling down after being hit by the spray of bullets.

Senior Inspector Ofre Julian, Libungan COP, said Mayor Cuan was apparently the main target of the shooting by a gunman using an M-16 armalite rifle aboard a white Nissan van.

Catulong, who was standing behind the mayor, suffered a bullet wound on the left shoulder and underwent surgery in a local hospital where physicians declared him out of danger, Ofre said.

Cuan last month reported to the police an alleged threat on his life.

Political rivalry was initially seen as a possible motive in the shooting.

‘God still loves me’

Cuan said that while he has been receiving reports on alleged threats to his life, he did not expect someone will actually try to “snipe” him Monday afternoon.

“There were hearsays in Libungan and there were precautions, but we didn’t know that someone will snipe me within 50 meters. God still loves me,” Cuan told the Manila Bulletin in a phone interview.

Cuan said that the employees of the municipal government gathered for their program and convocation in the morning prior to the incident.

He said he was about to go out of the municipal hall to have his lunch when the attacker tried to shoot him. The assailant reportedly missed and instead shot Alejandro Catulong. Cuan identified Catulong as a job-order employee who handles all-around tasks.

Cuan said they will extend assistance to Catulong, whom he said is recuperating in a hospital.

Meanwhile, Senior Insp. Onofre Julian, Libungan town police chief, said their investigations are ongoing.

Asked whether the town mayor is the target of the attack, Julian said: “it is possible.”

“Posible lang, ongoing pa ang investigation. Maraming angles tayong tinitingnan,” he told Manila Bulletin on Tuesday.

The authorities are currently processing the pieces of evidence gathered from the crime scene yesterday.