DAVAO CITY – Authorities are conducting a manhunt for two male suspects accused of ambushing members of the Teduray Lambangian tribe in a remote village in Datu Hoffer Ampatuan, Maguindanao del Sur, on Thursday afternoon.
Lt. Albert Pansoy Jr., chief of the Datu Hoffer Ampatuan municipal police station, identified the fatalities as Cita Angan, 39, and Ricky Tapioc, 30, both residents of Barangay Mantao.
Two others were injured in the attack: Kutang Tilok, another member of the Indigenous Peoples (IP) community, and Saber Zacaria, a Maguindanaoan motorcycle driver.
Police are awaiting statements from the survivors to aid in identifying the attackers and establishing the motive for the ambush. Master Sgt. Amil Datuali of the Datu Hoffer police revealed that former Barangay Sayap Chair Abdullah Omar reported hearing rapid gunfire in Sitio Skagit, Barangay Sayap, around 4 p.m. Thursday.
Responders, led by Lt. Pansoy, had to traverse approximately three kilometers of dirt roads to reach the crime scene. Initial investigations indicate that Angan and her companions were ambushed while returning home with relief goods distributed by the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Ministry of Social Services and Development.
Minister Melanio Ulama of the BARMM Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs strongly condemned the attack, describing it as a “cold-blooded killing” and an “indefensible act of violence.” He added, “We call on law enforcement and other government agencies to take all necessary actions to ensure the safety of IPs in Datu Hoffer.”
Angan’s death marks a particularly devastating loss, as she was the wife of tribal leader Baywan Angan, who was murdered in Sitio Kukor, Barangay Mantao, on December 7. The recent attack has heightened concerns over the safety and security of Indigenous Peoples in the area.
Local authorities, supported by regional law enforcement units, are intensifying efforts to apprehend the perpetrators and prevent further violence against vulnerable communities in Maguindanao del Sur.
Edith Z Caduaya studied Bachelor of Science in Development Communication at the University of Southern Mindanao.
The chairperson of Mindanao Independent Press Council (MIPC) Inc.
