Television reporter wounded in Cotabato robbery try

A provincial reporter of a television network was wounded Tuesday in a robbery attempt in Cotabato City, police said in a belated report on Wednesday. Philippine National Police spokesman Chief Superintendent Agrimero Cruz Jr. identified the victim as Archad Ayao, a 20-year-old field reporter of ABS-CBN Central Mindanao. An initial investigation showed Ayao, from Sultan Kudarat in Maguindanao, was busy texting at the corner of Bonifacio and Rufino Streets in Poblacion 6 when the two assailants approached him and tried to snatch his mobile phone. The victim resisted, prompting his attackers to draw a knife and stab him twice, the report said. Ayao was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was declared out of danger after sustaining minor stab wounds in his arm and body. After scanning a rogues’ gallery, Ayao was able to identify one of his attackers as Hamsur Bansuan, a robbery suspect. Local authorities are continuing their manhunt to locate the two suspects, even as charges against them are being prepared. — with a report by Mark Merueñas/LBG/DM, GMANews.TV