Cops hunt down men in murder of Sultan Kudarat village chair

KIDAPAWAN CITY – A police manhunt is underway for the suspects behind the murder of a village chair of Lambayong, Sultan Kudarat province in Tacurong City on Thursday.

Supt. Joefil Siason, Tacurong City police director, said several names have cropped up as possible suspects but the investigation is still ongoing in the murder of Mohammad Tasil, acting chairperson of Barangay Tambaloyong in Lambayong town.

“We will not give yet the names of the suspects as not to jeopardize police efforts to get them,” Siason said in a radio interview Friday.

He said police investigators are pursuing two possible motives behind Tasil’s killing – one is his job as designated village officer-in-charge, and another his alleged involvement in illegal drugs.

Tasil, the number one village council member of Tambaloyong, assumed office after their village chief went on AWOL (absence without leave) when police launched a manhunt against him due to illegal drugs.

Siason said Tasil and his predecessor village chair, has been issued search warrants for violating Republic Act 9165 or the illegal drugs act. No pertinent evidence was found against Tasil for his alleged involvement in illegal drugs.

Tasil was riding a motorbike and was heading for home in Lambayong on Thursday afternoon when two gunmen, on board separate motorbikes, shot him in Purok Kayambanan, Barangay Griño, Tacurong City.

“Names and motives have come up but we are digging deeper,” Siason said. (PNA)