COTABATO CITY — A 39-year-old father was killed while his 16-year-old son sustained gunshot wounds after unidentified riding-in-tandem gunmen opened fire on them in broad daylight along LR Sebastian, Barangay Rosary Heights 11, Cotabato City, at around 11:20 a.m. on Saturday.
The latest attack comes just hours after another shooting incident in the city, raising fresh concerns over public safety as authorities continue to investigate a string of violent crimes.
The fatality was identified as Surraff Kadir Pasandalan, a resident of Taviran, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte. His teenage son survived the attack and is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital.
According to Cotabato City Police Office (CCPO) spokesperson Lt. Rochelle Evangelista, the victims were traveling on a motorcycle when they were approached by two unidentified assailants riding another motorcycle. Without warning, the suspects allegedly opened fire repeatedly before fleeing the scene.
Pasandalan was rushed to the hospital but was declared dead on arrival by attending physicians. His son, who also sustained gunshot wounds, remains under medical care. Authorities have yet to release an official medical bulletin regarding his condition.
Earlier, Cotabato City Police Director Col. Jibin Bongcayao confirmed that the victims were father and son from Taviran, Datu Odin Sinsuat, and said police immediately responded to the incident following reports of the shooting.
Crime scene investigators recovered several spent shell casings believed to have come from a .45-caliber firearm, which will undergo forensic examination as part of the ongoing investigation.
In response to the attack, the Cotabato City Police Office immediately placed police checkpoints on lockdown and intensified security operations across the city in an effort to intercept the fleeing suspects. Authorities are also reviewing nearby closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage and gathering witness statements to establish the identities of the perpetrators and determine the motive behind the killing.
The shooting is the second violent attack reported in Cotabato City within a short span of time, underscoring growing concerns over the continuing incidents of gun violence in the area. Investigators have not yet determined whether the latest attack is connected to the previous shooting or if it stemmed from a separate motive.
Police have appealed to the public to cooperate with authorities by providing any information that could help identify the suspects and bring them to justice.
The investigation remains ongoing.