School teacher killed in Cotabato ambush

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Gunmen killed an Islamic school teacher in an ambush in Barangay Inug-ug in Pikit, Cotabato on Wednesday afternoon – exactly two weeks after two of his students were killed in a similar attack in the same area.

According to Pikit town and Cotabato provincial police officials, Yasser Mama Abdullah, a teacher at Noorul Eilm Academy, was riding his motorcycle on his way home when the gunmen shot him several times, killing him on the spot.

Two weeks before, Abdullah’s students, Rafael Abu Indong and Muslimin Kamir Nanalong who were both in Grade 11, were killed in a similar attack in Barangay Inug-ug.

Investigators are probing if the two incidents are related.

According to local officials, Abdullah, aside from teaching, also served as treasurer in nearby Barangay Macabual in Tugunan town ­– a newly created unit under the Bangsamoro region.