14 slain in Maguindanao provinces, Cotabato City despite gun ban
COTABATO CITY—Despite the implementation of a gun ban since Jan. 12 in relation to the midterm elections, the provinces of Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur, including this regional capital, saw a series of gun attacks that have killed 14 people in the past two weeks.
Lawyer Ray Sumalipao, Commission on Elections (Comelec) director in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), earlier said a total of 116 checkpoints had been set up throughout the region to strictly implement the gun ban that is expected to lessen crimes involving guns.
Among the most recent fatality was Benjie Uyag, 54, member of the 27th Maguindanao Civilian Active Auxiliary company in Pandag, Maguindanao del Sur, and a resident of Tumbao village in Mangudadatu town.
He was in front of a “sari-sari” store at Barangay Poblacion in Buluan town around 6 p.m. on Tuesday when armed men, aboard a white minivan, shot him, said Lt. Dean Carlo Macusi, Buluan police chief.
Uyag was hit in the stomach and died while being taken to a local hospital.
Earlier on the same day, at 3 p.m., in Datu Abdullah Sangki town also in Maguindanao del Sur, farmer Nasser Mohammad, 51, was driving a mini-tractor when he was shot and killed by still unidentified men in Kaya-kaya village, said Lt. Col. Genn Mar Avisa, the town’s police chief.
According to police records, 11 of the 14 gun attacks since Jan. 12 happened in Maguindanao del Sur. Two incidents were recorded in Maguindanao del Norte and one in Cotabato City.
Cases
In the evening of Jan. 26, a Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team (BPAT) member identified only as Hassan, 17, and resident Esmael Singh, 20, were killed in an attack at a checkpoint in Barangay Labu-labu, Shariff Aguak town. Three other civilians were wounded when they were hit by stray bullets.
Also in the same evening, a student named Zihad Zuhod, 22, was shot and killed in Barangay Poblacion, Datu Paglas town.
On Jan. 23, BPAT member Rasid Kamid was gunned down at Barangay Mother Poblacion in Shariff Aguak.
On Jan. 20, ice cream delivery van driver Rey Balmores was shot and killed by motorcycle-riding gunmen in Barangay Timbangan, Shariff Aguak. The suspects took Balmores’ sling bag containing money, prompting the police to look at robbery as a motive. Balmores’ two companions survived.
On Jan. 19, couple Deru Dimaguil and Suraida Barmada died when they were ambushed by still unidentified gunmen along the highway in Datu Paglas, Maguindanao del Sur. Their 8-year-old daughter survived.
During the first week of gun ban implementation, two gun attacks were reported in Buluan and Rajah Buayan towns that left residents Nogie Kamensa and Jay-ar Palabrica dead.
In Maguindanao del Norte, two tricycle drivers were killed in separate gun attacks on Jan. 13 and Jan. 18.
