Rido seen as motive in murder of Pikit village chair, escort

KIDAPAWAN CITY - Police authorities in Pikit, North Cotabato believed the murder Thursday of a village chair was triggered by long standing rido (family feud) involving the victim and his attackers.Senior Inspector Sindatu Karim, Pikit police chief, investigators had initially believed that family feud was believed behind the killing of Chairperson Dhats Simon of Barangay Bulol, Pikit and his escort-relative Akmad Bantas. The real target of the gunmen was the barangay chairman but they have to eliminate the bodyguard so they could carry out the murder,” said Karim. Simon, according to Karim, has already sought security assistance from his unit and from the military deployed in Pikit. In fact, the PNP and the military had given him authority to carry firearm for self defense,” explained the police officer.Karim said the victims were heading towards home on board a motorcycle at past 3 p.m.when waylaid by four armed men along Barangay Gli-Gli, also in Pikit.
The suspects, all armed with M16 armalite rifles, were also onboard two motorbikes.

Karim said they recovered from the scene 37 spent shells from Armalite rifles.

Karim said investigators areyet to locate the firearms issued to Simon and his bodyguard, which went missing after the killing.
The Police have yet to identify the perpetrators based on the testimonies of at least four witnesses.