Cops clueless on separate shooting incidents in North Cotabato

NORTH COTABATO, Philippines - The police is still facing a blank wall on two more murders this week of motorcycle owners in the adjoining Midsayap and Libungan towns in the first district of North Cotabato.

The victims, Ibrahim Manisil, 30, and Arturo Bergas, 32, were killed by motorcycle-riding gunmen in separate attacks in Nabalawag, Midsayap and in Kapayuran, Libungan, respectively.

The culprits this time escaped without taking with them the motorcycles of the victims.

Police investigators said there is a possibility the attacks could have been triggered by old grudges, or narcotics trade that went awry.

Manisil was shot dead on Thursday in broad daylight near his bike while along a thoroughfare not too far away from the Midsayap police station.

Bergas was driving his motorcycle when one of two men riding a motorcycle trailing behind gunned him down as they got close, killing him on the spot.

The attacks were preceded by the recent brutal killings of at least four off-duty motorcycle-riding soldiers in the province by suspected members of the brigand Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).

BIFF hitmen riding motorcycles have been attacking unarmed soldiers and policemen in North Cotabato, in Maguindanao and even in Cotabato City for months now in retaliation for the military’s takeover of its 11 enclaves in Central Mindanao in a series of offensives from February 28 to May 3.