2 shot dead by drunk police captain inside Cotabato videoke bar

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Policemen in Kabacan town in Cotabato clamped down their own deputy police chief after killing two individuals with his service pistol inside a videoke bar before dawn Saturday, August 31.

Major Maxim Peralta, chief of the Kabacan police, told reporters at noontime Saturday that his deputy, Captain Romel Magdato Guhiling, had himself detained after he had shot dead Akmad Ali Salimula and Mama Sandigan amid their heated altercation inside a videoke pub in Barangay Osias in the municipality.

Radio reports here and in nearby cities on Saturday stated that Guhiling, while drunk, figured in many brawls early on with people whom he had threatened with his firearm too.

Witnesses and barangay officials who responded to the incident said Guhiling was under the influence of liquor when he shot Salimula and Sandigan one after another with his 9 millimeter pistol, killing them both instantly.

He also shot and wounded the companion of the slain duo, Norhan Katom Makakua, now confined in a hospital.

Relatives of Salimula and Sandigan said they are to file criminal charges against Guhiling, now locked in a detention facility of the Kabacan Municipal Police Station, awaiting prosecution.