6 killed, 4 hurt in gun attacks in North Cotabato

Kidapawan City – Six people were killed while four others were wounded in several shooting incidents that transpired in at least four towns in North Cotabato over the weekend but police considered them ‘isolated cases’.

Of these incidents, four took place in Kidapawan City; two in President Roxas; two in Kabacan town; and two in Alamada town, records from the Cotabato Police Provincial Office (CPPO) said.

For Superintendent Ramel Hojilla, city director of the Kidapawan City PNP, the series of summary executions in his area-of-responsibility were ‘isolated cases’ and did not cause alarm to the public.

Hojilla identified the latest victim of summary killing as Pepe Salandron Pandio, 46, of Barangay Magsaysay who worked as collector of Small Town Lottery (STL) in Kidapawan City.

Pandio sustained four gunshot wounds in his chest and back from a caliber 45 pistol pumped by a still unidentified gunman while he was busy collecting gambling bet money from STL bettors in Barangay Magsaysay, around 10:30 a.m., on Saturday.

Pandio was declared dead upon arrival in a hospital here, Hojilla said.

Other victims of summary executions in Kidapawan City over the weekend were identified as Bryan Acosta Abanilla, an auto mechanic from Poblacion; and Mark Gilbert Ong Benler, a laborer from Talisay Street, Poblacion. /