BALIGUIAN, Zamboanga del Norte — A former member of the Sangguniang Bayan (SB) of Baliguian was killed after being shot by two unidentified riding-in-tandem gunmen outside his home in Barangay Kauswagan on Saturday afternoon, June 27.
The victim was identified by police as Peter A. “Bado” Montina, a former municipal councilor of Baliguian.
According to the Baliguian Municipal Police Station, the shooting occurred at approximately 4:35 p.m. Initial investigation revealed that Montina was at the yard of his residence in Barangay Kauswagan when two armed men riding a red Rusi motorcycle arrived and attacked him.
Police said the motorcycle driver was wearing a black bonnet and a motorcycle helmet, while the back rider—who allegedly fired the shots—had his face fully exposed and was not wearing any face covering.
Following the attack, the suspects immediately fled toward the direction of the neighboring municipality of Siocon.
Montina was rushed by his family to the Siocon District Hospital, but he was declared dead on arrival (DOA) by the attending physician.
In response, the Baliguian Municipal Police Station, together with neighboring police stations and the Provincial Mobile Force Company (PMFC), immediately launched hot pursuit and dragnet operations along all possible escape routes in an effort to track down the fleeing suspects.
Authorities have yet to establish the motive behind the killing, and investigators are pursuing all possible angles, including whether the attack was related to the victim’s previous public service or other personal circumstances.
Police are appealing to the public for assistance in identifying the perpetrators. Investigators urged anyone who witnessed the incident, saw individuals matching the suspects’ descriptions, or possesses dashboard camera (dashcam) or CCTV footage along the route toward Siocon to immediately coordinate with authorities.
The Baliguian Municipal Police Station assured residents that all information provided by witnesses will be treated with the strictest confidentiality as investigators work to identify, locate, and arrest those responsible for the fatal attack.
The killing of the former municipal official has shocked the local community, as police continue their investigation to determine the motive and bring the perpetrators to justice.