By MARTIN A. SADONGDONG
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A South Cotabato town mayor included in President Duterte’s so-called “narco list” was shot dead Friday morning by two motorcycle-riding men while he was inspecting a road concreting project in his village.
A police report from the Soccsksargen Police Regional Office (PRO-12) identified the victim as Mayor Pablo Matinong, 55, of Sto. Nino town. He died from two bullet wounds in the head.
Police said the driver of the motorcycle was clad in a black sweatshirt and dark blue short pants, while the backrider — the trigger man — was clad in a black sweatshirt and black short pants. Both were wearing black caps with facemasks.
Initial investigation showed that Matinong was walking alone while checking a road concreting project beside the barangay plaza at Purok Libertad in Barangay Poblacion when he was attacked around 7:55 a.m.
Police said the suspects suddenly appeared onboard a black motorcycle and shot Matinong.
A bystander identified as Analyn Avance, 42, was also hit by a stray bullet in the left shoulder.
After the shooting incident, police said the suspects immediately sped off to an unknown direction.
The victims were rushed to Doctor Luntao Clinic and Hospital in Sto. Niño town for immediate treatment, but Matinong was declared dead on arrival.
Police Capt. Ian Bagot, chief of Sto. Niño police, said they were looking into possible motives behind the killing of Matinong, including his inclusion in Duterte’s narco list.
Matinong was among the hundreds of personalities named by Duterte in his narco list in 2016, as confirmed by a post of the Presidential Communications Operations Office on its website (PCOO).
Matinong had repeatedly denied his involvement in illegal drugs, saying it was all part of political attacks against him.
Bagot also said investigators are also eyeing personal grudge as one of the possible angles, citing Matinong’s work as a mayor. He did not give further details.
“Hot-pursuit operation against the fleeing suspects is presently undertaken by the responding team,” Bagot said.
“Random checkpoints and chokepoints were established near the crime scene and adjacent municipal police stations, 2nd PMFC (Police Mobile Force Company) and AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) counterparts were also informed of the incident for the possible arrest of the fleeing suspects,” he added.
