Polomolok, South Cotabato Mayor Bernie Palencia. (Photo from Palencia Facebook Page)
COTABATO CITY – The mayor of Polomolok town, South Cotabato province has offered a PHP500,000 bounty for anyone who can provide information that will lead to the arrest of gunmen behind the separate killings of four of the town’s civil security unit (CSU) personnel.
Mayor Bernie Palencia said Wednesday the reward money aims to fast-track the resolution to the killings, the latest of which claimed the life of a retired police major who served as the town's CSU intelligence chief.
Retired Major Donald Cabigas, 56, was shot dead inside his liquified petroleum gas retail store in Barangay Poblacion on Jan. 9.
On Jan. 6, unidentified gunmen also shot dead two other CSU members along the national highway in Barangay Sulit, Polomolok.
They were identified as retired police officer Bonifacio Cabisada, 58, and Jessie Arciete, 56, both bodyguards of the mayor.
Pelancia said witnesses told police that the perpetrators aboard a motorbike first spoke with the two CSU members before they were shot.
“The gunmen and the victims were seen talking to each other while traveling on motorbikes, so the theory was they knew each other,” he said.
This month’s succession of shooting incidents in the town was preceded by the Nov. 18, 2022 attack on CSU member Adonis Dionela, who was shot dead by gunmen in the municipal cemetery where he was assigned as security personnel. (PNA)
