COTABATO CITY (MindaNews / 17 Feb) — The spate of killings continues in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) despite the intensified gun ban as the election approaches, with at least 87 shooting incidents recorded since the start of the year, police said. There is no update yet on the number of fatalities. The latest incident occurred on Monday morning in Mamasapano, Maguindanao del Sur, where armed men fired at a minivan, wounding four people, including a woman. Lt. Col. Henry Binas identified one victim as Hadji Fahad Nano. On Sunday, motorbike enthusiast Boyet Lu was killed in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte. Last Friday, Councilor Edris Sangki of Datu Abdullah Sangki was attacked and later died, with two companions wounded. The Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR) recorded 53 shootings in January and 32 more by mid-February, with two additional incidents on Sunday and Monday. PRO-BAR chief Brig. Gen. Romeo Macapaz attributed the shootings to possible political motivations. Maguindanao del Sur Gov. Bai Mariam Sangki-Mangudadatu condemned the killings, some targeting her party, Team Agila. In Buluan, a 13-year-old boy survived an attack, and vice mayoralty candidate Anwar Dimasinsil claimed his convoy was ambushed, though former governor Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu suggested it may have been staged.
