Manhunt operation on vs. killers of North Cotabato trader

KIDAPAWAN CITY – Police have launched a manhunt against riding-in-tandem suspects, who shot and killed late Wednesday an agricultural products dealer in Magpet, North Cotabato.

Superintendent Bernard Tayong, North Cotabato police spokesperson, said Magpet police investigators are currently pursuing leads that could help pinpoint the perpetrators behind the incident.

The victim, identified as John Blancaflor, 35, of Barangay Malire, Antipas, North Cotabato, became the third shooting victim by riding-in-tandem gunmen in Magpet for the past eight days.

In a report, Senior Insp. Jose Mari Molina, Magpet police chief, said the victim was driving a motorbike heading towards Antipas, a neighboring town of Magpet, at past 5 p.m. when a riding-in-tandem gunmen opened fire at close range.

“As Blancaflor fell off from his motorbike, the gunmen quickly left,” Tayong said, quoting witnesses. The victim instantaneously died from fatal gunshot wounds in the head and body, he added.

Tayong said police investigators are currently looking at two possible motives behind the attack--personal grudge and land conflict.

Prior to his death, Blancaflor was designated by a relative as caretaker of several farm lots in Antipas that have other claimants.

“Robbery was ruled out since the victim’s cash remained intact,” Tayong said of Blancaflor, who had collected payment for his agriculture business in Magpet before he was killed.

On July 16, gunmen onboard a motorbike also shot and wounded chairperson Emilio Buenavidez of Barangay Datu Celo, Magpet, in an attack. On July 10, a riding-in-tandem also wounded in an attack village chair Ferdinand Cariaga of Barangay Sallab, Magpet.

Both cases of murder attempts on the village officials remain unsolved. (PNA)