University exec killed in ambush in NCotabato

NORTH COTABATO, Philippines - Masked men riding motorcycles shot dead Tuesday night the security director of the state-run University of Southern Mindanao (USM) in Kabacan town in the province.

The victim, 43-year-old Ronald Lopez, also a faculty member of USM, was pronounced dead on arrival by doctors at a hospital not far from the campus.

USM president Francisco Garcia said police investigators are still probing  the gunmen’s  motive for killing Lopez.

Supt. Jordine Maribojo, Kabacan’s municipal police chief, said Lopez was driving his motorcycle on the way to USM’s motorpool, trailing the vehicle of another professor, veterinarian Cayetano Pomeras, when the gunmen attacked from behind with handguns.  

USM  has been rocked by recent bombings and shooting incidents, amid the protracted squabbles by influential aspirants for the university’s presidency.

Garcia said he has asked the local police to deploy more policemen around the 6,000-hectare campus of USM to beef up security in the campus. - John Unson