Former TV reporter killed in Cotabato ambush

COTABATO CITY – A former TV news reporter who became a human rights advocate was shot dead by still motorcycle-riding gunmen in this city Wednesday night.

Archad Ayao, 28, of the Bangsamoro Regional Human Rights Commission (BRHRC), died from a bullet wound to the head.

Killed with Ayao was Pio Orteza, a 42-yearold habal-habal (motorbike for hire) driver.

Investigators believe that the Ayao’s assailants were professional killers.

A report from Major Ramil Villagracia, chief of police station 2 here, said Ayao was back-riding with Orteza when they were fired upon from behind on Don Ramon Rabago Ave., in front of Cotabato City Engineering District Office, at 6:10 p.m.

Officers from police station 2, located some 500 meters away from the ambush site, rushed the victims to hospital where they were pronounced them dead.

Friends and relatives of Ayao believe the ambush had something to do with his work as investigator of BRHRC.

Col. Michael Lebanan of the Cotabato City police office ordered a thorough investigation in order to unmask the attackers and their mastermind.

“May justice be served, if not in this world, then in the hereafter,” said Laisa Alamia, a human rights lawyer and a former head of the BRCHRC.

Ayao was a reporter for the ABSCBN News branch here and a member of the Kampilan Press Corps before he joined the BRHRC, the human rights body of the defunct ARMM and the succeeding Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

After resigning from media, Ayao had hired Orteza to drive him around.

Orteza was also a driver in the Bureau of Public Information (BPI) of the defunct ARMM.