ISULAN, Sultan Kudarat — A tricycle driver was shot dead after being taken to a secluded area by still unidentified armed men in Sitio Kalipa, Barangay New Pangasinan, Isulan, Sultan Kudarat, on the morning of July 3, 2026, prompting an intensive police investigation.
The victim was identified by authorities as Bonnie Balontitik, also reported as Boni Balutintik, an adult resident of Purok 4, Barangay Bual, Isulan, Sultan Kudarat.
According to the Isulan Municipal Police Station (MPS), the incident came to light after the station received a hotline call at around 8:50 a.m. from a Barangay Bual official reporting a shooting incident in Sitio Kalipa.
Police investigators and members of the station’s alert team immediately responded to the area to verify the report and conduct an initial investigation.
Based on the preliminary findings, the victim was allegedly taken by unidentified suspects to a remote section of Sitio Kalipa, where he was shot multiple times using a firearm that authorities have yet to identify. The attack left the victim with fatal gunshot wounds, resulting in his immediate death.
Investigators have yet to establish whether the victim personally knew his attackers or what circumstances led him to accompany them to the isolated location.
Authorities have not disclosed the number of assailants involved or whether witnesses saw the shooting. Investigators are currently examining the crime scene, gathering physical evidence, and interviewing potential witnesses to reconstruct the events leading to the killing.
Police have yet to determine the motive behind the attack, and no suspects have been identified or arrested as of this writing.
The Isulan MPS said efforts are ongoing to identify the perpetrators through intelligence gathering, witness interviews, and forensic examination of evidence recovered from the scene.
Authorities have appealed to the public to cooperate with investigators by providing any information that could help identify those responsible for the fatal shooting.
The killing adds to the list of gun-related incidents under investigation in Sultan Kudarat, as law enforcement authorities continue their efforts to bring those responsible to justice and determine the circumstances surrounding the victim’s death.