Sultan Kudarat town village chair killed in Maguindanao

SALIPADA K. PENDATUN, Maguindanao -- The head of the Police Regional Office -Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PROARMM) has ordered a deeper investigation into the killing of a village chief from Columbio town in Sultan Kudarat on Thursday afternoon.

Chief Supt. Graciano Mijares, PRO-ARMM director, issued the order following the latest attack perpetrated by motorcycle-riding gunmen on community leaders in the area of Maguindanao.

Mijares identified the latest victim as village chair Kedteg Ayob, 57, of Elbebe in Columbio.

Police said Ayob, who was driving a motorcycle, had a brief stop along Barangay Salendab in Datu Paglas, Maguindanao, when he was approached by another motorcycle rider who shot and killed him on the spot.

“Witnesses said the victim and the gunman even had a short conversation prior to the shooting,” Mijares said.

A deeper investigation would determine if the motive behind the killing stemmed from personal grudge or politics, he added.

This, as Datu Paglas police has invited several persons of interest to shed light on the case.

The police official said such killing should have to stop as PRO-ARMM has been active in its task of ridding Maguindanao and the rest of the region of loose firearms and lawless elements.