COTABATO CITY – A 32-year-old man was killed in what police described as an apparent execution-style shooting on Saturday evening, July 25, along New Road in Barangay Poblacion 8, Cotabato City.
The victim was identified by Police Station 2 as Daud Gandawali Matabalao, single, self-employed, and a resident of Purok Masagana, Kalawag II, Isulan, Sultan Kudarat.
Initial police investigation showed that the victim was driving a Toyota Hilux without license plates when he was intercepted by still unidentified armed suspects at around 7:20 p.m.
Investigators said the assailants allegedly forced Matabalao out of his vehicle and ordered him to lie face down in a dark portion of New Road before repeatedly shooting him at close range. Another report indicated that the victim was fired upon while inside or immediately after exiting the vehicle, highlighting details that investigators are still validating as part of the ongoing investigation.
Responding authorities immediately rushed the victim to the Cotabato Regional and Medical Center (CRMC) for emergency treatment. However, attending physicians declared him dead on arrival due to multiple gunshot wounds.
Crime scene investigators recovered 13 spent shell casings believed to have been fired from a .45-caliber pistol, along with five deformed fired bullets, which have been submitted for forensic examination.
Police have yet to determine the identity and number of suspects involved in the attack. A hot pursuit operation has been launched while investigators continue to collect and review closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage from establishments and nearby areas in an effort to identify those responsible.
Authorities are also working to establish the motive behind the killing. Among the angles being examined is the possibility of the victim’s alleged involvement in illegal drugs, although police stressed that no conclusion has been reached and that all possible motives remain under investigation.
The fatal shooting adds to the series of gun-related attacks recorded in Cotabato City and other parts of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), even as the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) continues to enforce the Total Gun Ban ahead of the region’s parliamentary elections. The latest incident highlights the continuing challenge of curbing armed violence despite restrictions on the carrying of firearms. While the gun ban aims to reduce election-related violence and improve public safety, the persistence of fatal shootings indicates that the measure alone has not been enough to deter criminal attacks involving loose and illegally possessed firearms.
Police have appealed to the public to provide any information that could help identify the gunmen and assist in the ongoing investigation. No arrests had been reported as of press time.