8 suspects in murder of kagawad, tanod face criminal raps

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — The police shall prosecute the eight detained suspects in the gun attack that killed a barangay kagawad and a tanod in Midsayap, North Cotabato for double murder and illegal possession of assault rifles.

The eight men --- Tha Kalim Unos, Jackson Usman, Mamaali Dalandas, Abdulpata Usman, Nasrullah Amal, Ibrahim Usman, Abdulkadir Guiamalod and Jerry Pasagui --- are now clamped down in a detention facility of the Midsayap Municipal Police Station.

Col. Harold Ramos, director of the Cotabato Provincial Police, and Region 12 police director Brig. Gen. Jimili Macaraeg separately said on Saturday that the eight suspects were arrested in pursuit operations assisted by local officials on Thursday afternoon, about 13 hours after they shot dead Barangay Kudarangan Kagawad Tho Puyo Singh, 73, and the 58-year-old Bayao Mohammad Uka.

The eight suspects were in a group that surrounded the house of Singh in Barangay Kudarangan at past 1:00 a.m. Thursday and opened fire when he and Uka, a barangay tanod, emerged when they noticed there were men outside talking to each other in the Maguindanaon vernacular.

Singh and Uka both died on the spot from multiple bullet wounds.

Macaraeg said besides double murder, the eight suspects shall also be charged with violation of Republic Act 10591 that prohibits possession of firearms without permission from the Philippine National Police using the unlicensed three M16 and four M14 assault rifles confiscated from them as evidence.

Macaraeg said they will also seek the help of the Commission on Elections in prosecuting the suspects for having violated its ban on unauthorized carrying of firearms as part of the security measures for the October 30 synchronized barangay and Sanguniang Kabataan elections, which is valid until November 29.