Police, Army hunting down men in murder of military intel agent

COTABATO CITY -- Police and military authorities here have launched a manhunt against armed menbelieved responsible in the killing of a soldier and wounded another in a daring attack here over the weekend.Senior Superintendent Rex Anongos, Cotabato City police chief, identified the slain soldier as Private First Class Denver Maguate, 25, of Pagadian City. Wounded was PFC Aldrin Junsay Asejo, 27, a resident of Libungan, North Cotabato.Both were members of the intelligence unit of the 11th Mechanized Company, 1st Mechanized Battalion of the Philippine Army.Anongos said the victims were riding a motorbike from Cotabato City heading toward Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao when gunmen, on board separate motorcycles, opened fire at them at around 3 p.m. Saturday in front of MC Square department store along Sinsuat Avenue, Cotabato City.Anongos said the victims' companion, PFC Jovert Bad-e who was riding a separate motorbike, was tailing them but did not see the attack since there was a passenger jeep between him and his comrades.Anongos said both Maguate and Asejo were armed but failed to return fire as they crashed after the attack. Police recovered empty shells for cal. 45 pistol at the crime scene.He said the victims were on civilian clothes and were heading toward their base in Datu Saudi Ampatuan when the incident happened.The Army's 6th Infantry Division which has jurisdictions over all military units in Maguindanao condemned the attack.Military intelligence operatives are eyeing BIFF members who resorted to hit and run attacks after they were incapacitated following a military offensive early this year in Maguindanao. We are closely working with the 11th Mechanized company and the 6th ID in hunting down the attackers, Anongos said.