A casual employee of the local government unit of Shariff Aguak was injured after he was shot by unidentified riding-in-tandem gunmen in Barangay Mamasapano, Mamasapano at around 11:40 a.m. on Saturday, authorities said.
The victim was identified as Kaharudin N. Saudagol, a resident of Barangay Tuka in Mamasapano. He is reportedly employed as a casual worker under the local government of Shariff Aguak.
Based on the initial police investigation, Saudagol was riding a motorcycle together with his wife and was on their way to Shariff Aguak when they noticed they were being followed by two unidentified suspects riding another motorcycle.
Upon reaching Barangay Mamasapano, the suspects allegedly opened fire on the victim without warning, hitting him several times before speeding away toward Rajah Buayan.
Despite sustaining gunshot wounds, Saudagol was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital for emergency medical treatment. Authorities have yet to disclose the extent of his injuries and his current condition.
Police and military units immediately launched a hot pursuit operation to track down the attackers and determine their identities. Checkpoints and monitoring operations were also intensified in nearby areas following the incident.
Investigators are still determining the motive behind the attack, including whether the shooting was work-related, personal in nature, or connected to other possible disputes. Authorities have not yet identified the suspects nor recovered the firearm used in the ambush.
The latest attack has once again raised concerns over the continuing incidents of motorcycle-riding gunmen operating in parts of Maguindanao del Sur, where authorities continue to intensify security operations against armed violence and criminal activities.
Police urged anyone with information that may help identify the suspects to immediately coordinate with local authorities as the investigation continues.