Man who helped shooting victim accused as suspect

COTABATO CITY (MindaNews) – A man who helped rescue a wounded victim for immediate evacuation to a hospital is now accused as the gunman in the said crime.

Police Precinct 2 of Cotabato City arrested 30-year-old Johari Akmad, alias Mahal, after he was identified as suspect by the target of the assassination, Faisal Guiamad Ibad, 49, a former village councilman of Pansacala Street, Mother Barangay where the crime

happened around 5 p.m. on Tuesday.

Capt. Rustum Pastolero said his team immediately acted on the complaint of the ailing victim after he pointed at the suspect when seen roaming in the hospital where he was brought.

“He clearly identified the suspect, so we immediately acted upon his complaint,” Pastolero said.

“I vehemently deny the accusation. How could I do that when I was just standing in another corner of the street? In fact, I was the one who called a vehicle and brought him to the hospital,” Akmad defended himself inside

Police Precinct 2 detention cell, stressing that he has no rift with the victim.

Ibad is in critical condition after he was hit in his abdominal portion of the body from a caliber .45 pistol. He is still recuperating at a hospital here.

A stray bullet has also maimed store vendor Soya Ulisen, 40, while she was inside her store. She happens to be the aunt of the Akmad, the suspect.

The local police is waiting for the results of the ballistic and paraffin tests and check if these can be linked to the suspect. (Ferdinandh Cabrera / MindaNews)