PIGCAWAYAN, Cotabato — A 44-year-old woman from South Cotabato was shot dead at close range by unidentified gunmen in a brazen attack caught on CCTV footage on the evening of May 2, 2026, in Poblacion 3, this town.
The victim, identified as Marivic Pabon, a resident of Norala, South Cotabato, was reportedly buying food at a nearby variety store shortly after arriving at her rented boarding house when the incident occurred at around 7:00 to 7:30 p.m.
CCTV footage from an establishment near the crime scene showed one of the suspects approaching the victim and shooting her at point-blank range in the head. Witnesses said the assailant deliberately closed in on Pabon before pulling the trigger, ensuring a fatal hit.
According to initial police reports, the suspects were riding tandem on a black Suzuki Raider 150 motorcycle. After the shooting, they quickly fled the scene, heading toward the direction of Pahamudin in Sultan Kudarat under the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
Responding authorities rushed the victim to a hospital in a desperate attempt to save her life, but she later succumbed to her injuries.
Investigators recovered a spent cartridge casing believed to be from a .45 caliber firearm at the scene, indicating the use of a high-powered weapon in the killing.
The Pigcawayan Municipal Police Station has launched an intensive investigation, including the review and collection of CCTV footage from nearby establishments to identify the suspects. A hot pursuit operation is currently underway, with all Philippine National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) checkpoints in the area placed on heightened alert.
Local barangays were also immediately notified to strengthen security measures and assist authorities in tracking down the perpetrators.
As of this writing, authorities have yet to determine the motive behind the killing, and the identities of the suspects remain unknown.
The incident adds to growing concerns over the persistence of riding-in-tandem shootings in parts of Mindanao, where assailants often execute swift and targeted attacks before escaping on motorcycles.
Police are urging anyone with information related to the incident to come forward as the investigation continues.