COTABATO CITY — A 40-year-old security guard was shot dead by an unidentified gunman late Tuesday night, March 10, in Mother Barangay Rosary Heights here, police said.
The victim was identified as Kamid Tho Ali Villanueva, a resident of Kidapawan City in North Cotabato.
Initial investigation by Police Station 2 of the Cotabato City Police Office (CCPO) revealed that the victim was standing near his motorcycle, a white Honda Click 125, in Purok Mahigugmaon when the suspect suddenly approached and opened fire at around 9:00 p.m.
Investigators said the suspect, who was reportedly wearing a black jacket and a white bullcap, shot the victim repeatedly without any apparent provocation.
Villanueva sustained multiple gunshot wounds in different parts of his body, including the left side of the ear, left armpit, and right elbow, according to the police report.
After the shooting, the suspect immediately fled toward Purok Kambal within the same barangay.
The incident was reported to authorities at around 9:10 p.m., prompting responding officers from Police Station 2, led by Police Captain Anuar M. Mambatao, to rush to the scene.
The victim was immediately brought to a nearby hospital for medical treatment but was declared dead on arrival by attending physicians.
Police have already alerted nearby checkpoints and border control points in an effort to track down and possibly arrest the fleeing suspect.
Meanwhile, the Regional Forensic Unit of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) has been requested to assist in the thorough processing of the crime scene and collection of evidence.
Authorities are continuing their investigation to determine the motive behind the fatal shooting and establish the identity of the gunman, who remains at large as of this writing.