Cops hunt down gunmen in North Cotabato ambush

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 15): Cops hunt down gunmen in North Cotabato ambush

Police authorities in North Cotabato have launched a province-wide manhunt against two men who shot and seriously wounded an engineer working for a government irrigation project in the province.

Supt. Danilo Peralta, North Cotabato police provincial director, has directed the PNP in Pikit, North Cotabato to also intensify manhunt against two men riding tandem on a motorbike who shot 50-year-old Engr. Akmad Adam Pangilamen of Masulot Construction.

Pangilamen of Limbo, Sultan Kudarat town in Maguindanao was riding in tandem with Mustapha Galay, 31 of Barangay Tapodoc, Aleosan, North Cotabato from Pikit to Midsayap town when shot by the suspects.

Both sustained gunshot wounds in the legs and neck, according to Senior Inspector Mautin Pangandiman, Pikit police chief.

The shooting happened in Barangay Langayen, Pikit, at 8:50 a.m. Friday.

Both are now recuperating at a hospital in nearby Midsayap town, police said.

"The shooting could be borne out of personal grudge between Engr. Pangilamen and the suspects," Pangandiman said.

The victim is working with Masulot construction company which is subcontracting with the government on the Malitubog-Maridagao irrigation project that supplies water to about 16,000 hectares of farmland in North Cotabato and Maguindanao.

Helping the police in the manhunt are members of the 7th Infantry Battalion based in Pikit.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=625760