COTABATO CITY – A 38-year-old alleged member of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front-Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (MILF-BIAF) was killed in a broad daylight shooting in Cotabato City on Tuesday, after being shot multiple times, including in the head, by still unidentified assailants.
The victim was identified by Cotabato City Police Director Col. Jibin Bongcayao as Amilil S. Abdullah, who was also known by the aliases Amer Abdullah and Amir Dalgan, a resident of Barangay Daskil, Mamasapano, Maguindanao del Sur.
Police said Abdullah was declared dead on arrival at the Cotabato Regional and Medical Center after sustaining fatal gunshot wounds during the attack, which occurred at around 12:20 p.m. in Purok Magungaya, Barangay Poblacion 8, Cotabato City.
According to the initial investigation conducted by the Cotabato City Police Office-Police Station 2, the victim was walking along a relatively secluded stretch of road when an unidentified gunman suddenly approached and shot him in the head using a .45 caliber pistol.
The assailant immediately fled the scene after the attack. Authorities have yet to determine whether the suspect acted alone or had accomplices waiting nearby.
Crime scene investigators recovered five spent cartridge cases and one fired bullet believed to have come from a .45 caliber firearm, supporting eyewitness accounts that multiple shots were fired during the incident.
The motive behind the killing has yet to be established.
Police have launched a follow-up investigation and are now gathering evidence that could help identify the gunman. Investigators are also coordinating with nearby residents and business establishments to obtain CCTV footage that may have captured the attack or the suspects’ escape route.
Authorities have not yet disclosed whether the killing was related to the victim’s alleged affiliation with the MILF-BIAF or if it stemmed from personal, criminal, or other motives.
The Cotabato City Police Office assured the public that all investigative leads are being pursued to identify, locate, and arrest those responsible for the fatal shooting.
As of this writing, no arrests have been made, and the investigation remains ongoing.