Gunmen attack checkpoint, kill 2 persons, hurt 3 in Maguindanao Sur

Maguindanao del Sur map. INQUIRER FILES

SHARIFF AGUAK, Maguindanao del Sur — Gunmen on a motorcycle on Monday shot and killed two persons, including a member of the village peacekeeping team, and injured three others in a village checkpoint in Barangay Labu-Labu in this town.

Hassen Kumamo, 17, member of the Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team (BPAT), and Esmael Singh, 20, both residents of this town’s Barangay Labu Labu Mother, were killed when two gunmen passed the BPAT checkpoint along the national highway and opened fire using an automatic rifle, according to Colonel Bobby Paloma, Maguindanao police provincial director.

Injured by stray bullets were Ali Amerudin, 17; Anwar Banalan, 20; and Mohamad Husain, 30; all residents of the same village.

Paloma said the victims were manning the BPAT checkpoint when attacked. A manhunt has been launched against the suspects.

It was the second attack against BPAT members in Shariff Aguak in less than a week. On January 22, a BPAT member was killed and another was injured in a gun attack at the town’s public market.

Police said several persons of interest had been identified and an investigation into the possible motive continued. A week earlier, gunmen on a motorbike shot dead the driver of an ice cream delivery van after taking the victim’s sling bag that contained his daily collection.

READ: 3 village execs killed in gun attacks in Zambo Sur, Maguindanao Sur