BY JOEL CALAMBA ESCOL, Managing Editor
MAMASAPANO, Maguindanao — Gruesome killing continues to haunt a town in Maguindanao after 3 persons, including an innocent 5-year-old girl, were all murdered by still unidentified attackers Tuesday.
The police, who immediately responded to the crime scene, have identified the slain victims as Abdulkadir Matuwa, a farmer; his wife Zahera, 32, and their 5-year-old daughter Nhala.
Major Maximiano Gerodias, Mamasapano police chief told reporters that undetermined gunmen strafed the house of the victims in Sitio Pamalian, Barangay Mangungkaling, Mamasapano town. Fortunately, a 9-month-old baby was left unharmed, it was learned.
The police recovered empty shells from an armalite rifle but are still investigating the motive of the suspects in killing the family members past 1 a.m. in Barangay Mangungkaling, Mamasapano.
The baby, the police probers said, is now in the hands of his relatives. “The baby was in a hammock and was asleep when the attack happened,” Gerodias told reporters. “The baby is now with the victims’ relatives.”
Meanwhile, police investigators have continued to investigate the murder case hoping to get further leads in identifying the suspects who attacked the farmer and his family inside their house.
It can be recalled sometime in January 2021 that Barangay Mamasapano was also the site of the bloody encounter between government forces and members of the moro rebels in the area. Over 44 members of the Special Forces Action Forces (SAF), 18 Moro rebels and civilians were also killed.
The administration of then President Benigno Aquino III was marred with attacks from the netizens because of the failed rescue operations of the Special Action Forces. (SAF) inside the strongly-controlled camps of the Muslim rebels in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.
The province of Maguindanao, which was once controlled by the Ampatuans for decades was also where the deadliest killing of more than 30 media personalities and political supporters happened.
