AMPATUAN, Maguindanao del Sur — Two duckery workers were found dead with gunshot wounds to the head in a remote farming area in Ampatuan, Maguindanao del Sur on Wednesday morning, July 1, with authorities investigating the possibility that the victims were mistakenly identified as government informants.
The victims were identified by Bangsamoro police as Jeroy Porras Dabid, 31, single, and Noel Porras Deala, 31, married. Both were residents of Barangay Paitan in Esperanza, Sultan Kudarat, and were employed as caretakers at a duck farm.
Police said the victims’ bodies were discovered in a secluded portion of Sitio Bakoko, Barangay Matagabong, approximately six kilometers from the national highway. Both sustained fatal gunshot wounds to the head.
According to the Ampatuan Municipal Police Station, authorities received a report about the discovery of the bodies at around 7:55 a.m. on Wednesday.
Due to the location’s proximity to areas reportedly frequented by armed groups, a joint response was immediately conducted by local police and soldiers from the 90th Infantry Battalion.
Victims Left to Herd Ducks, Never Returned
Based on the accounts of the victims’ relatives, Dabid and Deala left for the area at around 4 p.m. on Tuesday to tend and herd ducks at the duckery where they worked. When they failed to return, concern grew among their families until their bodies were later found the following morning.
Investigators recovered a spent shell casing believed to have been fired from a 5.56-mm firearm at the crime scene. The evidence has been turned over to the Provincial Forensic Unit for ballistic examination to determine the weapon used in the killing.
Mistaken Identity Among Key Angles
Authorities said one of the strongest angles being pursued is mistaken identity.
Initial investigation revealed that the victims were not residents of the area, raising the possibility that they may have been mistaken for government assets or intelligence informants.
Police also noted that the isolated crime scene is surrounded by rice fields and is located near an area believed to be associated with the Daulah Islamiya, an extremist group that has been linked to various violent incidents in parts of Central Mindanao.
Investigators are also looking into reports that the victims belonged to the Ilonggo community, which may have made them unfamiliar faces in the predominantly Moro community where the incident occurred.
However, authorities emphasized that all possible motives remain under investigation pending the outcome of forensic examinations and intelligence gathering.
Dragnet Operations Underway
Police and military units have launched dragnet operations to identify and track down the perpetrators behind the killings.
Authorities vowed to pursue all leads to bring those responsible to justice while continuing to coordinate with the victims’ families and local officials.
Meanwhile, the remains of Dabid and Deala were brought to a funeral parlor in Esperanza, Sultan Kudarat, where their families continue to mourn the loss of the two workers.
The investigation remains ongoing.