Soldier shot dead in Maguindanao

CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao--Joint police and military probers are investigating the slaying of an Army soldier by a lone gunman in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao on Sunday evening.

Major Arvin John Encinas, the Army’s 6th Infantry Division spokesperson, identified the victim as Corporal Sahelbasar Alaja, a member of the Army’s 90th Infantry Battalion (IB) assigned in the area.

Alaja was on a pedicab traversing Barangay Broce around 7 p.m. when a still unidentified gunman appeared from nowhere and fired, hitting him on the chest. The gunman fled after the incident and disappeared.

“The victim was rushed to the hospital but doctors declared him dead upon arrival,” Encinas said.

Recovered from the crime scene was one empty slug of a .45-caliber pistol. Alaja was the fourth soldier slain in the Maguindanao-Cotabato area during the last five days.

On Feb. 28, suspected members of the Islamic State-linked Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters waylaid three soldiers who were onboard a car in Barangay Sambulawan, Datu Salibo, Maguindanao.

Slain were Privates Junard Estribor and Nelier Pinto, both of the Army’s 57th IB, while injured was Pvt. Muqtadir Sampulna, also of the same unit.

A stray bullet also injured a woman bystander in the incident. On the same day, a motorcycle riding-in-tandem also gunned down Staff Sgt. Verande Lardera of the Army’s 37th IB along Sinsuat Avenue, Rosary Heights 10, Cotabato City.

Lardera was onboard his motorbike when shot from behind by the gunmen amid heavy traffic in Sinsuat Avenue.

Police said they are looking into personal grudge as the motive behind Lardera’s murder. (PNA)