Suspects in broad daylight killing of 4 in Cotabato City known - PNP

COTABATO CITY -- Authorities here are hunting downthe suspects in the killing of four persons, including two children, on Sunday along a busy Shariff Kabunsuan boulevard here, police said.Senior Supt. Raul Supiter, Cotabato City police director, said police investigators are pursuing two men behind the murder of Rahima Tan Macarido, 40, her children Sansai, 12 and Guiabel, 11 and habal-habal (passenger motorbike) driver Junjun Macarido, 22, all residents of Lugay-Lugay, Barangay Bagua Mother, Cotabato City.Police investigators said the victims had just visited Menang Macarido, 45, at the Cotabato City jail and were heading for home at past 2:30 p.m. when two men killed them along Shariff Kabunsuan boulevard.Menang was jailed for charges of murder.After the shooting, the suspects fled on foot to unknown direction, leaving behind the victims lying dead at the roadside.The 11-year-old Guiabel was rushed to the Cotabato Puericulture Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival. The killing could be a case of family feud, Supiter said, referring to rido (clan war). We are focusing closely this case because we have the identities of the suspects, he said.Supiter said a follow up pursuit operation was on going. On Sunday, minutes after the shooting, the police raided a house in Barangay Bagua Mother where the suspects were believed hiding. However, they are no longer there, they just left few minutes ago, he added.Responding police officers recovered 15 empty shells for cal. 45 pistol and seven for 9mm pistol. The two gunmen waited for the victims to emerge from the Cotabato City jail, Supiter said, adding the family had been receiving death threats since Menang Macarido was arrested.Supiter said Macarido was arrested early this month during an illegal drug trade operation. An M-16 Armalite rifle, a cal. 45 pistol and suspected illegal drugs were seized from him.Supiter said the raiders later learned that Macarido has pending warrants of arrest for murder and frustrated murder charges.The police official assured the victims' relatives that justice will be served and that the police will continue to hunt down the perpetrators.