Cops hunting gunmen in Maguindanao market attack
Mindanao Armed Conflict • 12:45 PM Wed Jul 13, 2022
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By:
John M. Unson
SULTAN KUDARAT, Maguindanao – Police have launched manhunt against heavily armed men who stormed the market and terminal in Barangay Crossing Simuay here Tuesday night.
Lt. Colonel Julhamin Asdani, Sultan Kudarat municipal police chief, said police backed by Army troopers hunt down gunmen responsible in harassing Crossing Simuay market that left a marketgoer and three gunmen injured.
Asdani said motive of the attack remained unknown but information have been coming in about an existing “rido” (family feud) involving the armed group and Guiaber Dalindingan, chairperson of Barangay Simuay, Sultan Kudarat.
Col. Christoper Panapan, Maguindanao’s police director, identified the injured as civilian Bryan Kalid who was caught in the ensuing crossfire and Mojamer Abdulkarim Esmael, Oting Sanday and Nasser Esmael, part of the gunmen who arrived in the market on board several vehicles.
All three of them are now in a hospital, guarded by policemen.
Firefight erupted when the police from nearby ComPAC detachment responded.
The suspects reportedly arrived at the market site in Simuay Junction area here, disembarked from their vehicles and searched for Dalindingan.
Failing to locate Dalindingan, they vented their ire on frantic people around and fired their rifles indiscriminately, according to witnesses.