Cotabato City – A fatal shooting incident in Purok Katarungan, Rosary Heights 5, Cotabato City, has left one individual dead in what authorities suspect to be a crime of passion.
At around 9:00 AM on March 10, 2025, Police Station 2 (PS2) received a call from a concerned citizen reporting a shooting incident in the area. Responding to the report, personnel from PS2, led by Officer-in-Charge PMAJ Teofisto R. Ferrer Jr., immediately proceeded to the scene to verify the situation.
Initial investigation revealed that the victim, identified as 55-year-old Najer Hadjirul, a resident of 5th Street, Purok Katarungan, was walking in an alley outside his residence when unidentified suspect(s) suddenly emerged and, without provocation, shot him multiple times before fleeing the scene.
Hadjirul was quickly rushed to the Cotabato Regional and Medical Center for medical treatment but was later declared dead by the attending physician. Authorities noted that the victim had sustained multiple gunshot wounds on different parts of his body.
At the crime scene, investigators recovered two fired cartridge cases and two fired bullets, believed to be from a .45 caliber firearm. These pieces of evidence have been forwarded to the Regional Forensic Unit – Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (RFU BAR) for ballistics examination.
Authorities are currently conducting follow-up investigations to determine the motive behind the attack and identify the suspect(s). While the exact circumstances remain under investigation, law enforcement sources suggest that the incident could be a crime of passion.
Residents in the area are urged to remain vigilant and cooperate with the police by providing any relevant information that could assist in resolving the case.
Further updates on the investigation will be released as more details emerge.
