2 dead, minor wounded in Cotabato City ambush

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Two individuals got killed while a minor was wounded in an ambush at a busy thoroughfare in a residential area in Cotabato City on Thursday afternoon.

In separate reports on Friday, the Cotabato City Police Office and the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region said that the apparent target of the ambush, Jonas Tampla, was riding his motorcycle when he was attacked by gunmen at Manday Street in Barangay Bagua Mother, killing him the spot.

Tampla died instantly from six gunshot wounds in the head and in different parts of his body.

A bystander, Raynon Esgan, who was hit by stray bullets, died at the Cotabato Regional Medical Center.

Capt. Eduardo Malicdem, chief of the Cotabato City Police Station 4 that has jurisdiction over Barangay Bagua Mother, said a female minor, whom he identified only as Zaina, was wounded in the incident.

Investigators found more than a dozen spent .45 caliber ammunition shells scattered in the crime scene..

The attackers of Tampla immediately escaped using getaway motorcycles, according to witnesses.

Brig. Gen. Prexy Tanggawohn, director of the Bangsamoro regional police, told reporters on Friday that city police officials, led by Col. Joel Estaris, and barangay leaders are together trying to identify the gunmen behind the atrocity for prosecution.