PIKIT, NORTH COTABATO — A father was killed while his young daughter was wounded after unidentified assailants opened fire at them in broad daylight in Barangay Balatican, Pikit, North Cotabato, around 11:53 a.m. today, October 28, 2025.
The victims were identified as Jeric Talib, a resident of Sitio Salakop, Barangay Tinutulan, and his daughter Johana Talib, a Grade 7 student who sustained a gunshot wound to her leg.
Initial police investigation revealed that the victims were riding a yellow-and-white Honda XRM 125 motorcycle when they were reportedly tailed and attacked by suspects riding in tandem. Witnesses said the gunmen fired multiple shots before speeding away, leaving the father dead on the spot.
Residents in the area recounted hearing a burst of gunfire and later discovering the lifeless body of Jeric sprawled on the road, while his daughter cried for help beside him. Barangay officials immediately rushed the wounded girl to the nearest hospital for medical treatment.
According to reports, the father and daughter were on their way to the market to buy supplies for the tajia (death commemoration) of their youngest family member who drowned recently.
Authorities are eyeing personal grudge as the possible motive behind the attack. Meanwhile, investigators from the Pikit Municipal Police Station are conducting a thorough probe to identify and arrest the perpetrators.
The incident adds to the growing list of gun-related violence in Pikit, North Cotabato — a municipality long marred by clan conflicts, political rivalries, and the proliferation of loose firearms that continue to threaten the fragile peace in the area.