ALAMADA, COTABATO — A 45-year-old passenger van driver was wounded after he was shot by an unidentified gunman while traveling along a road in Barangay Camansi, Alamada, Cotabato, on Monday afternoon, October 5, 2026.
The Alamada Municipal Police Station identified the victim as Japeth Guillermo, a resident of Barangay Dado, Alamada, who was driving a passenger van at the time of the incident.
According to the initial police report, Guillermo was traveling from Midsayap toward Alamada when the unidentified assailant opened fire upon reaching the area around 1:30 p.m.
The gunfire struck Guillermo on the right side of his chest, with the bullet reportedly passing through his body.
Residents and responding individuals immediately assisted the wounded driver and brought him to a hospital in Midsayap for medical treatment. His current medical condition was not immediately available.
Police investigators conducted an ocular inspection of the area following the shooting and recovered three spent cartridge cases believed to have come from a .45-caliber firearm.
Initial information placed the shooting in the vicinity of the Libungan-Alamada boundary, with the area reportedly involving Barangay Nicaan, although the police report identified Purok 1 in Barangay Camansi as the specific location of the incident.
Authorities have yet to establish the motive behind the attack and are investigating whether the shooting was targeted or connected to any personal, business, or other dispute.
The Alamada police have launched a hot-pursuit operation to identify and locate the gunman, who remains at large as of press time.
Police are also continuing to gather statements from witnesses and examine evidence recovered from the scene as investigators work to determine the circumstances leading to the shooting.
The Alamada MPS urged anyone with information that could help identify the suspect to coordinate with authorities as the investigation continues.