2 killed as gunmen storm village in Cotabato

COTABATO CITY, Philippines - Gunmen stormed a seaside village here early Thursday, killed two fishpond workers and burned two houses and three boats moored nearby as they fled.

The fatalities, Guiamadel Abubakar and Guia Akmaed, died on the spot from multiple gunshot wounds.

Barangay officials said the attack could be related to the fatal ambush of five members of a big clan in a nearby barangay also in Cotabato City, in a daring attack three days before in Datu Odin Sinsuat town in Maguindanao.

Investigators said the gunmen arrived at Sitio Lupapakan in Barangay Kalangangan at about 5:15 a.m. Thursday on board watercrafts and immediately opened fire on houses near a swath of contiguous brackish water fishponds.

A still unidentified villager was wounded in the shooting frenzy.

“Pag dating ng mga armado, pinagbabaril nila agad ang mga kabahayan at nakapatay sila ng dalawa,” said a barangay official, who asked not to be identified.

The gunmen set on fire two houses and three motorized riverboats berthed at one side of a river straddling through the fishponds as they fled.

Senior Superintendent Rex Anongos, city police director, said investigators still have to determine the identities of the culprits and their motive for the attack.

Anongos urged residents in Barangay Kalanganan to cooperate with probers to hasten the prosecution of the suspects.