Farmer killed, 2 children hurt in NCotabato strafing incident
08/11/2009 | 04:02 PM
KIDAPAWAN, Philippines – A 35-year-old farmer was killed Monday and his two children were seriously wounded when gunmen strafed their house in a remote village in the southern province of Cotabato, police said Tuesday.
Dindo Apatan was watching a television show inside their house in Barangay Gli-Gli in Pikit town at 6:49 p.m. Monday when four unidentified armed men struck, said town police head Inspector Elias Dandan.
Apatan’s nine-year-old daughter and four-year-old son were hit with bullets in different parts of their bodies.
The father died on-the-spot, while the children were rushed to a hospital in nearby Kabacan town, also in Cotabato.
Dandan said the mother, who works as domestic helper in the Middle East, was already informed of the strafing incident.
"It was really hard to break the news. The relatives found it really difficult to inform the wife of what happened to her family back here," he said.
Authorities hinted land conflict as a possible motive in the strafing.
Apatan’s land is also being claimed by a family in nearby Bulod village, also in Pikit, which is a known sanctuary of armed and lawless groups.
"Land conflict is the nearest possible motive. And we’re working on that," said Dandan, adding that the killing of Apatan was not the first.
"There were many instances in the past when farmers tilling the lands in Barangay Gli-Gli were killed. Some were forced to vacate the lands due to death threats," he said. - Malu Cadelińa Manar, GMANews.TV
Dindo Apatan was watching a television show inside their house in Barangay Gli-Gli in Pikit town at 6:49 p.m. Monday when four unidentified armed men struck, said town police head Inspector Elias Dandan.
Apatan’s nine-year-old daughter and four-year-old son were hit with bullets in different parts of their bodies.
The father died on-the-spot, while the children were rushed to a hospital in nearby Kabacan town, also in Cotabato.
Dandan said the mother, who works as domestic helper in the Middle East, was already informed of the strafing incident.
"It was really hard to break the news. The relatives found it really difficult to inform the wife of what happened to her family back here," he said.
Authorities hinted land conflict as a possible motive in the strafing.
Apatan’s land is also being claimed by a family in nearby Bulod village, also in Pikit, which is a known sanctuary of armed and lawless groups.
"Land conflict is the nearest possible motive. And we’re working on that," said Dandan, adding that the killing of Apatan was not the first.
"There were many instances in the past when farmers tilling the lands in Barangay Gli-Gli were killed. Some were forced to vacate the lands due to death threats," he said. - Malu Cadelińa Manar, GMANews.TV
