Cop survives ambush, guns down assailant in Cotabato City

COTABATO CITY (PNA) – An alleged gunman was killed while a police officer was wounded during a shootout along Sinsuat Avenue here on Friday afternoon.

Col. Richard Fiesta, city police chief, identified the wounded police officer as Master Sgt. Salipuddin Pangawilan of the Guindulungan police in Maguindanao, who was driving his Toyota Innova when ambushed by gunmen riding in-tandem at 3:30 p.m.

Pangawilan was heading to the city proper when he was shot by one of two gunmen.

“Although injured in his shoulder, Pangawilan managed to return fire using his M-4 rifle, killing his ambusher,” Fiesta said in an interview by reporters following the incident.

Police later identified the slain suspect as Edir Sandigan.

Responding police rushed the victims to the hospital, but Sandigan later died due to bullet wounds in the head and body.

The slain suspect’s companion, who was driving the motorbike, was able to speed away, and further evade pursuers by jumping into the Esteros River, leaving his motorcycle on the highway.

The motive of the attack remains unknown as of posting, police said.