Makilala, Cotabato – September 25, 2025
A businessman is in critical condition, while his live-in partner and a bystander were injured in a brazen gun attack on Wednesday night, September 25, in Barangay Saguing, Makilala, Cotabato.
Authorities identified the victim as Jun Languido, a local businessman, who sustained multiple gunshot wounds after being riddled with bullets by an unidentified assailant. His partner, known only by the alias Paday, suffered minor gunshot injuries, while a female bystander, alias Gingging, collapsed after being struck by stray bullets.
According to initial police reports, the gunman, riding a motorcycle, opened fire at the victims and immediately fled the area. Residents rushed the wounded to a nearby hospital for emergency treatment. Investigators recovered more than 20 spent shells from the crime scene, suggesting the gunman intended to ensure his target would not survive.
Witnesses and local officials described the attack as fueled by intense anger, given the sheer number of bullets fired. However, it remains unclear whether Languido or his partner was the intended target, as both sustained injuries while Gingging was inadvertently caught in the crossfire.
This marks the second shooting incident in Makilala within the day. Earlier in the afternoon, Police Staff Sergeant David Lopez de Jose, assigned to the Makilala Municipal Police Station, was shot dead while driving his multi-cab in Barangay Taluntalunan.
The back-to-back gun attacks have alarmed residents, raising fears over rising violence in the town. Authorities have yet to determine if the two incidents are related.
Police investigators are continuing their probe and pursuing leads to identify the suspects and uncover possible motives.