Alleged hired killer gunned down by Cotabato City cops

COTABATO CITY — Policemen and combatants of the Philippine Marines shot dead a suspected killer-for-hire and arrested his companion after they wounded two individuals in a gun attack in Barangay Poblacion 4 in Cotabato City on Wednesday night, June 18.

Col. Jibin Bongcayao, Cotabato City police director, said on Thursday, June 19, that the slain suspect, Amarudin Acop, and his companion, Homidie Salipudin, had first shot and wounded Abdulhaq Umal and Niño Galimba at Doña Pilar Street in Barangay Poblacion 4. The two were attempting to flee on a getaway motorcycle when they were intercepted by responding policemen and personnel from the Marine Battalion Landing Team 5 under the 1st Marine Brigade.

Instead of yielding peacefully, Acop and Salipudin pulled out .45 caliber pistols from their waist and opened fire, provoking a gunfight.

Acop died on the spot from bullet wounds in the head and upper torso. Salipudin, who was slightly wounded in the brief gunfight, threw his pistol on the ground and yielded to policemen and the Marines after they felled Acop with their assault rifles.

Acop, a resident of Barangay Salman in Ampatuan, Maguindanao del Sur, was tagged in at least 13 deadly gun attacks in the past three years in the province, in Isulan, which is the capital town of Sultan Kudarat, and in Cotabato City.

Residents of Ampatuan and local executives in Maguindanao del Sur told reporters on Thursday that Acop disappeared and hid in different towns in the province each time he got implicated in the killings of helpless individuals.

The wounded Umal, Galimba and Salipudin, were immediately transported by emergency responders to a hospital for treatment. 

Bongcayao said they are to prosecute the now-detained Salipudin for attempted murder, frustrated murder and illegal possession of firearms.