DATU ODIN SINSUAT, Maguindanao del Norte — A payong-payong (motorcycle tricycle) driver was shot dead in a brazen daylight attack along a coastal road in Barangay Dinaig Proper, underscoring persistent security concerns in parts of the province.
The victim was identified as Romnick Martin, a married resident of Sitio Luma, Barangay Dinaig Proper (Dimapatoy) in the said municipality.
Initial police reports revealed that Martin was driving his payong-payong tricycle along the provincial road around midday when he was अचानक approached by still unidentified assailants. Witnesses said the attackers, believed to be riding in tandem on a motorcycle, pulled alongside the victim and opened fire at close range without warning.
Martin sustained multiple gunshot wounds to different parts of his body, causing his immediate death. In some accounts, he was rushed to a nearby hospital but was declared dead on arrival by attending physicians.
After the shooting, the suspects swiftly fled the scene, taking advantage of the open road to evade responding authorities.
Local radio reports indicated that the attack bore the hallmarks of a riding-in-tandem style execution, a method frequently associated with targeted killings in parts of Mindanao.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) has launched a full-scale investigation to determine the motive behind the killing and to identify the perpetrators. Authorities are currently gathering testimonies from witnesses and reviewing any available evidence that could lead to the suspects’ arrest.
As of this writing, investigators have yet to establish whether the incident was driven by personal grudge, criminal activity, or other motives.
Police have also urged the public to remain vigilant and immediately report any suspicious individuals or activities that may help in the ongoing investigation.
The killing adds to a growing list of violent incidents in the region, raising renewed concerns over the safety of civilians, particularly those working in public transport who remain vulnerable to sudden and targeted attacks.
Authorities assured the victim’s family that justice will be pursued, as efforts continue to track down those responsible for the fatal shooting.