COTABATO CITY, Philippines — One Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) personnel was killed and another wounded after two unidentified gunmen opened fire on a vehicle carrying three Coast Guard personnel along Roman Vilo Street in Poblacion 6, Cotabato City, at around noon on Thursday, October 22, 2026.
The fatality was identified as Seaman Second Class (SN2) Reniel Agpalo, a native of Nueva Ecija assigned to the PCG Cotabato City Station. The wounded personnel was identified as Apprentice Seaman (ASN) Louther Jhon Vitor, a resident of Butuan City who is also assigned to the same station.
Police said the two victims were traveling with their station commander, Lieutenant Commander John Paul E. Cabarrubias, aboard a maroon Toyota Innova bearing plate number JPC 0421. They were reportedly heading toward their station when the assailants attacked them.
Agpalo sustained a gunshot wound to the back of his head and was declared dead on arrival at the Cotabato Regional and Medical Center (CRMC). Vitor was also rushed to the same hospital after suffering a gunshot wound to the left side of his head. He was receiving medical attention, according to the initial report.
Cabarrubias, who was inside the vehicle during the attack, escaped without injury.
Masked gunmen fired from both sides of vehicle
According to the initial police account, two men wearing black clothing and face masks approached the vehicle on a black Honda XRM motorcycle and fired at its occupants from both sides.
After the shooting, the suspects fled toward the Texing/Washington area. Their identities and whereabouts remained unknown as authorities launched operations to track them down.
Investigators recovered seven spent cartridge cases at the crime scene, believed to have come from a 9mm firearm. The recovered evidence is expected to form part of the ongoing forensic examination and investigation.
Possible workplace dispute under investigation
Authorities are looking into the possibility that the shooting stemmed from a personal dispute connected to the victims’ work. However, investigators have yet to establish a definitive motive, and the reported angle remains unconfirmed.
The identities of the gunmen, the circumstances leading to the attack, and whether the assailants specifically targeted any of the three Coast Guard personnel remain under investigation.
Police personnel from Police Station 1, Police Station 4, the Mobile Patrol Unit, and the Cotabato City Mobile Force Company immediately conducted follow-up operations after the incident.
Security measures were also coordinated with nearby police visibility points in an effort to locate and arrest the suspects. Investigators continued processing the crime scene and gathering evidence, including reviewing available closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage that could help establish the suspects’ movements before and after the shooting.
Investigation continues
The fatal attack raises serious questions about the circumstances surrounding the shooting of uniformed personnel traveling in a vehicle with their station commander in a populated area of Cotabato City.
For now, authorities have not publicly established the motive or identified the perpetrators. The investigation remains ongoing as police work to determine how the attack was carried out, identify those responsible, and establish whether the shooting was connected to a personal or work-related dispute.
The suspects remain unidentified in the initial report, and no arrests were reported in the information available as of Thursday afternoon.