Cotabato City – A 38-year-old woman is currently recovering in the hospital after being shot by a tricycle driver in broad daylight on Sunday afternoon, June 29, 2025, in Purok Talitay, Barangay Rosary Heights 7.
The victim, identified as Fatima Salim Matiman, a married and unemployed resident of the said barangay, was reportedly fetching water in front of her home when the suspect suddenly approached and shot her.
The suspect, identified by police as Aron Damao Guiapal, approximately 30 years old and also a resident of the area, immediately fled the scene following the shooting. Matiman sustained gunshot wounds to her left chest and right side of the abdomen. Her relatives rushed her to the Cotabato Regional and Medical Center, where she is now undergoing medical treatment.
Responding officers from Police Station 2 – Cotabato City Police Office (PS2-CCPO), led by PMAJ Teofisto R. Ferrer Jr., conducted a hot pursuit operation, but the suspect managed to escape. Authorities said no bullet shells were recovered at the scene as it had already been contaminated before police arrival.
Investigators are still determining the exact motive behind the attack, but initial findings suggest it may have stemmed from a personal misunderstanding between the victim and the suspect.
The case remains under investigation as police continue to track down the suspect.