GUIPOS, Zamboanga del Sur — A 21-year-old female college student was injured after being shot by an unidentified assailant in a brazen late-afternoon attack on April 29, 2026, in Purok 5, Barangay Bagong Oroquieta.
Police reports said the incident occurred at around 5:17 p.m. while the victim, a fourth-year college student and resident of Margosatubig, was riding a motorcycle with her boardmate on their way to their boarding house.
Initial investigation revealed that the victims were being tailed by a still-unidentified suspect, who was also on board a motorcycle. Upon closing the distance, the assailant suddenly opened fire at close range, striking the victim at the back of her head before swiftly fleeing the scene toward Barangay Mati in the neighboring municipality of San Miguel.
Despite the severity of the attack, the victim survived and was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital for urgent medical treatment. Authorities have yet to disclose her condition as of this writing.
Responding police officers promptly secured the crime scene and launched search operations, followed by a hot pursuit operation against the suspect. However, investigators noted that no spent shell casings were recovered from the area, raising questions about the type of firearm used or the possibility that evidence was removed.
Authorities are now pursuing multiple angles in their investigation, including the possibility of a personal grudge as a motive behind the attack.
Police have called on the public to assist in the ongoing investigation, urging anyone who may have witnessed the incident or observed suspicious individuals or activities in the area to immediately report to the nearest police station.
The incident has raised alarm among residents, particularly within the student community, as it underscores growing concerns over public safety and the persistence of gun-related violence even in daylight hours.