UPDATE: Cotabato City GSO head sugatan sa ambush, driver pumanaw habang ginagamot

COTABATO CITY - The head of Cotabato City General Services Office, Pedro Tato Jr, survived an ambushed by still unidentified gunmen at about 9 a.m. Tuesday.

Almedras Renabor, city public safety officer, said Tato, 59, sustained shoulder and body injuries but is now in stable condition at a hospital.

His driver, Dandy Anonat, 30, was critically injured and later expired while undergping medication at the hospital, according to Major John Vincent Bravo, Police Station 2 chief.

Tato and his driver were on their way to the city hall and traversing along Sebastian Street, Cotabato City when the gunmen who were reportedly tailed them from the victim's home opened fire using caliber .45 pistol.  

“Two motorbikes with about three men were seen tailing Tato’s service vehicle from San Pablo Village and opened fire near the gate of Cotabato Regional and Medical Center,” Renabor said in a radio interview.

Police recovered empty shells for caliber .45 pistol at the crime scene.

Motive of the attack remained unknown as of posting.

Cotabato City Mayor Bruce Matabalao condemned the ambush of Tato and the grenade attack in the house of retired Comelec chair Sheriff Abas in Barangay Rosary Heights 3. (See related story)

“Such a remorseless act of violence is abominable and must not be perpetrated,” Matabalao said as he offered P300,000 bounty for anyone who can provide information leading to the identification and arrest of the suspects in twin but separate attacks.

“No stone must be left unturned,” he added as he directed the city police to address gun violence in the city and waste no time in the operation against the proliferation of illegal firearms. (Edwin O. Fernandez)