Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte – A couple set to marry next month faced a tragic fate after being ambushed by unidentified gunmen in Sitio Tenorio, Barangay Awang, on Monday afternoon. The attack claimed the life of Atty. Junisa Kimamao, CPA, while her fiancé, Atty. Ibrahim Pendatu, LPT, survived and is currently recovering from his injuries.
According to the Datu Odin Sinsuat Police, led by Lt. Col. Jackson Lopez, the shooting occurred at around 3 PM while the victims were traveling. The assailants fired multiple shots, hitting Atty. Kimamao fatally in the chest. Despite being rushed to the hospital, she was pronounced dead, while Atty. Pendatu received medical treatment and is in stable condition.
The couple, both practicing lawyers, recently became engaged in February through a traditional Salangguni ceremony and were preparing for their wedding next month.
Authorities are considering work-related motives as a possible angle in the crime. “It is likely that Atty. Kimamao was the primary target, given that she sustained the fatal wounds,” said Lt. Col. Lopez in an interview with DXMS Radyo Bida.
Investigators are currently reviewing CCTV footage from the area to identify the perpetrators and determine the motive behind the attack.
The tragic incident has left the local legal community and their families in mourning as they seek justice for Atty. Kimamao’s untimely death.
