Mosque Shooting in Philippines Injures Two
Police authorities are in pursuit of two men who shot and seriously injured a village chairperson and his companion while they were praying inside a mosque in Cotabato City, Thursday, January 6.
Maj. Rustom Pastolero, Cotabato City Police Station 2 Commander, identified the victims as Chairman Amil Sula, 45, of Rosary Heights 5 village; and former village councilor Abner Ampaun, 39.
Pastolero said both victims sustained gunshot wounds in their bodies.
According to police reports, Sula was praying at 7:10 p.m. inside the mosque along 2nd Road, Don E. Sero Street in the village when the gunmen barged inside and opened fire using high-powered weapons.
Ampaun, who was near the official, was also hit in the barrage of gunfire. Witnesses claimed several other men praying inside the mosque have sustained minor injuries.
Initial police investigation showed that the assailants with face masks and hooded jackets arrived on a motorcycle and shot the village official inside the mosque.
Pastolero said the gunmen sped away while the victims' relatives rushed them to the hospital.
Police investigators recovered at the crime scene empty shells for a.45 caliber pistol and an M16 rifle.
"We are still investigating what triggered the shooting, who was behind it, and the possible motive," said Pastolero adding that police are investigating whether the shooting was because of "rido" (family feud).
Source: Manila Times
