Gunman kills Maguindanao del Sur village chief
COTABATO CITY, Philippines – A still unidentified gunman shot and killed a barangay chairman in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao del Sur, on Tuesday afternoon, March 14.
Police identified the victim as Hadji Basit Zangkala, the barangay chairman of Labu-Labu 2 in Datu Hoffer town, Maguindanao del Sur.
Maguindanao police director Colonel Ruel Sermese immediately created a special investigation task group to focus on identifying suspects and finding out what the motive was so that a case could be filed in court.
The Maguindanao Police Provincial Office said Zangkala was attacked while he was alone in a parked car, waiting for his wife who was buying fruits from a nearby store in Barangay Mother Poblacion, Shariff Aguak town, past 5 pm.
He was rushed to a hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Investigators found seven empty shells near the bullet-riddled body of the village chief.
Datu Hoffer police chief Captain Ramillo Serame said Zangkala was immediately given Muslim burial rites. – Rappler.com
Ferdinandh Cabrera is an Aries Rufo Journalism fellow.