Husbandand Killing of wife, son, case of mistaken identity

COTABATO CITY
(Sept. 3/NDBC) – The killing Tuesday of a family of three in this city’s west
coast could be a case of mistaken identity, the victims’ relatives said.

Relatives of
Saimona Abdulla Dimatingkal, 42, her 4-year-old son Saada, all residents of
Timako, Kalanganan 2, Cotabato City believed they were mistakenly executed by
the suspects locked in a rido” (family feud) with another family in the same
village.

Her husband
Jainal escaped unhurt when gunmen armed with assault rifles riddled their banca
with bullets at about 8 a.m. Tuesday.

In an
investigative report conducted by DXMS Radyo Bida, it turned out that a certain
Yusop Wasay borrowed the wooden banca of the Dimatingkals a week before the
shooting.

Wasay, Radyo
Bida learned, was locked in a family feud with an unidentified family in Barangay
Kalanganan.

Police said a
family feud involving armed families have been at war with each other and last
Tuesday’s incident was a case of mistaken identity.

Jainal
Dimatingkal was the one operating the banca with his family on board when the
incident happened in the borders of Barangays Bagua Uno and Dos.

Jainal told
Radyo Bida that he and his family went to the center to buy food and were
already home bound when the incident happened.

Police said
the suspects, numbering about 10, were armed with M-16 Armalite rifles and M-79
grenade launchers.

Jainal said he
went overboard when the gunmen started firing but was very sad they killed his
wife and child.He said he has
the identity of the suspects and had already told the police about it.

Following the
incident, several families have fled for fear the situation will worsen as the
warring families were all armed.

Due to the
incident, some children refused to report to Timako Elementary School on
Tuesday, according to school head teacher Benjamen Wahab.

Some fled
while others opted to stay home and prevent their children from going to school,”
he said, adding that about one half of the school population of 600 did not
show up.

For the safety
of pupils and teachers, Wahab said classes were suspended Wednesday.

Residents have
appealed to local government units and village officials to take a look at the
peace and order situation of the village. (NDBC)