Four persons were killed following an ambush along the Pigcawayan national highway in North Cotabato on Friday.
Police Major Ivan Samoraga, chief of Pigcawayan Municipal Police Station, said the victims, whom they are yet to identify, were traversing Barangay Tubon around 6:30 a.m. onboard a red Toyota Innova with plate number MAF 2108 when they were waylaid by the suspects who were onboard an unidentified sports utility vehicle and armed with M14 armalite rifles.
Three of the victims were found lifeless inside the Innova while another was found dead outside the vehicle.
"When we responded to the scene, there were already no signs of life," Samoraga said in an interview over dzBB.
Samoraga said a pursuit operation has been conducted in an effort to catch the perpetrators.
Investigators are also trying to look for possible witnesses as with closed circuit television (CCTV) footage which could aid in their probe.
The motive behind the killing is yet to be established.