KIDAPAWAN CITY, Cotabato — A 36-year-old employee of a recruitment agency was shot dead by an unidentified gunman in what authorities believe was a targeted attack in Kanapia Subdivision, Barangay Poblacion, Kidapawan City, on the evening of July 22, 2026.
The victim was identified by the Kidapawan City Police Station as Baser Lidasen Mangakoy, a married resident of Pikit, Cotabato, who was reportedly renting a house in Kanapia Subdivision and was locally known by the alias “Tagalog.”
Initial police investigation revealed that at around 6:37 p.m., Mangakoy was driving his white-and-black Honda Click motorcycle when he was approached by an unidentified male suspect riding a black motorcycle without a license plate.
Without warning, the assailant allegedly opened fire, striking the victim multiple times before speeding away toward an undetermined direction.
Witness accounts and initial reports indicated that the victim was hit by approximately five gunshots, leaving him critically wounded at the scene.
Responding police officers immediately rushed Mangakoy to a nearby hospital in an effort to save his life. However, despite medical intervention, he later succumbed to the multiple gunshot wounds he sustained.
Following the fatal attack, the gunman escaped and remains at large.
Authorities have launched an extensive investigation to determine the motive behind the killing, with investigators gathering physical evidence and reviewing available closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage from the area in hopes of identifying the suspect and tracing his escape route.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) has also initiated both hot pursuit and dragnet operations across Kidapawan City and nearby areas to track down and arrest the perpetrator.
As of this writing, investigators have yet to establish whether the killing was work-related, personally motivated, or connected to any other circumstances in the victim’s background.
The latest shooting adds to the continuing concern over gun-related violence in parts of Mindanao, where authorities continue to intensify efforts against riding-in-tandem attacks and other forms of gun crimes. Police are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed the incident or possesses information that could identify the suspect to immediately coordinate with the Kidapawan City Police Station to aid the ongoing investigation.