POLICE ARE hunting down gunmen on a motorbike who ambushed a police car that left one inmate dead and a police officer wounded along the national highway here on Wednesday.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Maj. Joseph Macatangay, town police chief, identified the slain victim as inmate Nords Kabil Usman, of Gen. Salipada K. Pendatun, Maguindanao.
Macatangay said Usman was facing charges for illegal possession of firearms and frustrated murder.
“He (Usman) was being brought to a Cotabato City court for inquest proceedings when the ambush occurred at past 9 a.m. in Barangay Taviran here,” the police official said.
Injured in the same incident was Capt. Rommel Enriquez, police chief of Gen. Salipada K. Pendatun, who was also the team leader of police officers escorting Usman.
Macatangay said the gunmen on board a motorcycle tried to get close to the police car and shot Usman, who was sitting on the rear part of the vehicle.
He died on the spot. Enriquez was hit by a stray bullet but was declared out of danger by doctors at the Cotabato Regional and Medical Center in Cotabato City.
“One of the suspects was injured when the police returned fire but still managed to get away on their motorbike,” Macatangay said, adding he believes the target of the ambush was Usman.
He added that investigators are pursuing a good lead on the case. (By Edwin Fernandez)
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