TASK FORCE HEAD. Colonel Ruel Sermese, Maguindanao police provincial director, heads the Special Investigation Task Group (SITG-Abdul) to fast-track the probe on the murder of Barangay chairperson Abobakar Abdul of Polloc in Parang town, Maguindanao del Norte province on Jan. 30, 2023. Also killed in the incident was the village chief's wife. (Photo courtesy of Bandera News-TV Cotabato)
COTABATO CITY – Police Regional Office in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR) chief, Brig. Gen. John Guyguyon, has created a special probe body to hasten the investigation into the murder early this week of a village chief and his wife in Parang town, Maguindanao del Norte province.
“It will focus on the conduct of an in-depth investigation and for a thorough and swift identification of the suspects,” Guyguyon said in a statement Wednesday.
Village chair Abobakar Abdul of Barangay Polloc and his wife were killed in an ambush around 5:30 p.m. Monday in Sitio Timbangan, Barangay Sarmiento, Parang town by still unidentified suspects.
Guyguyon said the Special Investigation Task Group (SITG-Abdul) that will look into the incident is headed by Colonel Ruel Sermese, the Maguindanao police director.
“I strongly condemn this act,” Guyguyon said, adding that the police is determined to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Major Christopher Cabugwang, Parang municipal police chief, said initial investigation showed that one of the possible motives being looked into is politics related to the upcoming village elections this year.
Abdul is seeking reelection for his second term in the scheduled Oct. 23 synchronized Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls.
Cabugwang said Abdul was always present at the voters’ registration site to ensure those coming to list up are bonafide residents of Barangay Polloc and not from other areas.
On Monday, two motorbike-riding men overtook the Toyota Hi-Lux driven by Abdul and opened fire, hitting the village official and his wife.
Both were declared dead upon arrival in the hospital. (PNA)
