4 die, 6 hurt in gun attacks in Cotabato City, Maguindanao

COTABATO CITY  – Four persons were killed and six were hurt in separate gun attacks that occurred here and in nearby town in Maguindanao.

Police Capt. Jetto Yang, Cotabato City police station 3 chief, said a group of teenagers on board a black Toyota sedan was ambushed Sunday night by still unidentified gunmen in Barangay Kalanganan 2, this city.

The 7 p.m. ambush left two teenagers killed and six of their companions injured.

Police said the two whose identities were withheld by investigators, were pronounced dead on arrival at a hospital.

Edris Ayunan Pasawiran, village chair of Barangay Kalangan 2, said the ambush was triggered by a misunderstanding among teenagers from his village and those from nearby Barangay Tamontaka Mother.

He said the misunderstanding among the youth occurred during a Moro song concert in Barangay Kalanganan on Saturday night.

“We noticed that some of those involved in the misunderstanding were carrying guns,” Chairman Pasawiran said.

“Through our mediation, both sides agreed to settle their dispute supposedly today, June 13 at our barangay hall,” he added.

Pasawiran said the village government is helping the police identify the perpetrators even as he appealed to the parties involved not to put the law into their hands.

In nearby Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao, police found two persons dead, a male and a female, about 30 to 35 years old lifeless in the middle of the road in Barangay Taviran.

Lt. Colonel Asser Balindong, town police chief, said villagers reported that they heard gunshots at past 4 a.m. Sunday and the sound of a speeding vehicle afterwards.

As the sun breaks, residents found two lifeless body in the middle of the road.

Balindong believed the two who have no identification cards are non-residents of the village and could have been shot and dumped by the suspects in Barangay Taviran.