COTABATO City — An ambush on Tuesday, September 16, killed two people and wounded three others, including two young children, after gunmen targeted the vehicle of a barangay chairwoman.
The fatalities were identified as Michael Pusaka, the husband of Barangay Chairwoman Fatma Pasawiran Pusaka, and Khomenie Bandao, a motorcycle taxi driver who was hit by a stray bullet. Michael Pusaka was driving a Toyota Fortuner when the assailants opened fire.
Chairwoman Pusaka and her children, ages three and 11, were wounded in the attack and are being treated at a local hospital.
Initial investigations show at least four armed men on two motorcycles carried out the ambush, using a .45-caliber pistol and a 9mm handgun.
Authorities discovered 64 empty shells at the scene.
Witnesses said the gunmen fired multiple shots at the Fortuner on a busy road, hitting both the vehicle's occupants and Bandao, an innocent bystander.
The police are investigating possible motives, including politics and personal grudge.
Cotabato City Mayor Bruce Matabalao condemned the attack as “a cowardly act that endangers not only officials but also innocent civilians, including children.”
“The city government will not tolerate this kind of violence. We are urging the police and other law enforcement agencies to thoroughly investigate and bring the perpetrators to justice,” Matabalao said.
Matabalao announced a cash bounty for information leading to the suspects’ identification and arrest.
The Cotabato City Police Office has deployed additional personnel and is reviewing CCTV footage from nearby establishments.
The attack has sparked outrage and calls for heightened security measures.
