M’LANG, Cotabato — Residents were left shaken after unidentified armed men opened fire at the guard house of the residence of former M’lang vice mayor Joselito F. Piñol early Thursday morning in what authorities described as a targeted shooting attack.
The incident reportedly occurred at around 5:15 a.m. Thursday, sending alarm across the neighborhood as multiple gunshots echoed outside the former official’s residence.
Based on initial police information, the gunmen were allegedly targeting the security personnel stationed at the property. The suspects reportedly arrived riding an orange Honda Click 125 motorcycle and immediately opened fire before fleeing the scene.
Witnesses described the attackers as “riding-in-tandem,” a modus operandi long associated with gun attacks and other crimes in the country due to the speed and ease of escape provided by motorcycles.
According to reports, the two suspects suddenly stopped in front of the guard house and fired at least five gunshots without warning, causing panic among nearby residents.
In an interview, Piñol said they were preparing to leave their house around 6:00 a.m. when the shooting erupted outside their residence.
“May pupuntahan sana kami nang bigla na lang may nagpaputok sa labas ng bahay,” Piñol said, adding that the motorcycle-riding suspects specifically targeted the security guard assigned at their residence.
Piñol said they attempted to chase the fleeing suspects, but the attackers managed to escape before they could be caught. Fortunately, no one was injured in the incident.
The former vice mayor said politics could be one of the possible angles being considered behind the attack, although he emphasized that he has stayed quiet and uninvolved in politics following the recent elections.
He also revealed that he had not received any direct threats prior to the incident. However, reports had reached him that suspicious motorcycle riders were seen outside their residence before the shooting occurred.
Authorities immediately launched a hot pursuit operation against the suspects while investigators continue gathering evidence, reviewing possible CCTV footage, and determining the motive behind the attack.
Police are also working to identify the gunmen and determine whether the shooting was politically motivated or linked to another possible dispute.
Meanwhile, authorities urged anyone with information that could help in the investigation to coordinate with the nearest police station as efforts continue to track down the perpetrators behind the brazen attack.