Newly elected village councilman shot dead in Cotabato

COTABATO CITY — A newly elected village councilman in Midsayap town, Cotabato province was shot dead allegedly by his cousin on Wednesday morning, local police said.

Lt. Col. John Miridel R. Calinga, Midsayap police chief, said 35-year-old Suharto M. Antillino died on the spot from bullet wounds in the head after he was attacked near the building where he was supposed to hold office.

Witnesses and relatives of Mr. Antillino told police that the killer was his cousin, whose name was withheld by Mr. Calinga pending further investigation.

Mr. Antillino was proclaimed kagawad-elect of Barangay Poblacion 3,  Midsayap, a day after Monday’s village and youth council polls.

Meanwhile in Lamitan City, Basilan, the director of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region confirmed the surrender of three suspects in Monday night’s gun attack that killed two elders related to the winning village chief in Barangay Balagtasan.

Brig. Gen. Allan C. Nobleza said Abdullah R. Panglias, who lost in his reelection bid as chairman of the said village, surrendered on Wednesday along with his two alleged accomplices — Abzhar S. Panglias and Jhulbin D. Suntul.

He said the three, who are now locked up at the city police’s detention facility, surrendered assorted firearms and ammunition and confessed to the crime.

Killed in the ambush last Monday were Unnang G. Alahas and Sagon K. Jailun, both uncles of Arjun D. Jailun, who won as chairman of Barangay Balagtasan, defeating the incumbent, Mr. Panglias. — John Felix M. Unson