A shooting incident in Pikit, Cotabato, on Friday, October 4, 2024, has left one man dead, according to local authorities. The Pikit Municipal Police Station (MPS), in coordination with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), is currently conducting a pursuit operation to identify and apprehend the suspects involved in the crime.
According to initial reports from the Philippine National Police (PNP), the victim, identified as Jomar Dilangalen Panday, was riding a motorcycle with his wife, who goes by the alias “Bai.” The couple, residents of Barangay Bualan in the Special Geographic Area (SGA) of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), were traveling through Barangay Poblacion when another motorcycle, carrying two suspects, approached them.
Without any warning, the assailants opened fire on Panday, striking him multiple times in the back. He was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital, but he was declared dead on arrival.
Investigators have since revealed that the suspects fled the scene in the direction of Pagalungan, Maguindanao del Sur. Police are still gathering evidence to track down the perpetrators and determine the motive behind the attack.
The victim’s body has been returned to his family and is set to be buried according to Muslim customs. It was also disclosed that Panday was an escort for a prominent local figure, who may have been involved in an ongoing feud.
Authorities are continuing their investigation into the incident, as the community mourns the loss of one of its residents.
