COTABATO — Two minor brothers, aged 14 and 9, were killed after armed men allegedly intercepted and opened fire on the motorcycle they were riding in the early hours of Tuesday, November 10, in Sitio Tubak, Barangay Pagangan, Aleosan, Cotabato. Police are investigating a long-standing family feud, locally known as rido, as a possible motive behind the deadly attack.
The victims, identified only by their aliases Mors, 14, and Nor, 9, both residents of the area, sustained multiple gunshot wounds to different parts of their bodies. They were rushed to a hospital for emergency medical treatment but were declared dead on arrival by attending medical personnel.
Based on the initial investigation of the Aleosan Municipal Police Station (MPS), the brothers were traveling aboard a Kawasaki Bajaj motorcycle from Sitio 2 toward Sitio Tubak when a group of armed men allegedly blocked their path at around 1:30 a.m. The suspects then opened fire on the victims using firearms that have yet to be identified by investigators.
The circumstances surrounding the attack, including whether the brothers were deliberately targeted because of their family’s alleged involvement in a longstanding feud, remain under investigation. Authorities have yet to establish the precise motive and the individual responsibility of those involved.
Initial police information reportedly points to a group allegedly led by a man identified only by the alias Boy. The individual was also reported to be associated with a so-called base command, although authorities are still verifying the information and have not publicly established the identities or affiliations of the suspected gunmen.
Following the shooting, the suspects reportedly fled toward the Special Geographic Area (SGA) of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). Aleosan police immediately launched a hot pursuit operation, established checkpoints in strategic locations, and issued flash alarms to neighboring police stations and barangay authorities to help track down the fleeing suspects.
The police are also coordinating with the Provincial Intelligence Unit, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) intelligence personnel, and other intelligence units to support the investigation and subsequent operations. Authorities are pursuing leads to determine the suspects’ whereabouts and secure their arrest.
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Beyond the criminal investigation, the local police chief has also coordinated with the municipal government to develop preventive measures against possible retaliatory attacks or further violence arising from the reported family feud. The intervention is aimed at preventing the killing from triggering another cycle of bloodshed in the community.
Cotabato Governor Emmylou “Lala” Taliño-Mendoza strongly condemned the killing, describing the attack as a grave violation of children’s rights and a disturbing disregard for the protection that must be afforded to minors.
The governor called on the leadership of the SGA-BARMM to cooperate with the Cotabato provincial government and law enforcement authorities in identifying, apprehending, and prosecuting those responsible. She also assured the public that the provincial government is prepared to extend assistance and coordinate with the relevant agencies to help resolve the case.
The killing of the two brothers raises renewed concerns over the devastating consequences of unresolved family and clan conflicts, particularly when violence claims the lives of children who have no established responsibility for the disputes between adults.
While rido is being examined as a possible motive, investigators must still establish the circumstances that led to the ambush, identify all those involved, and determine whether the attack was connected to the alleged feud.
For the families of the victims and the residents of Aleosan, the immediate challenge is not only to secure justice for the two children but also to prevent another violent incident that could claim more lives.
The investigation and hot pursuit operations remain ongoing.