A man settling a debt was shot dead in front of his horrified wife on Tuesday morning in Barangay Kalanganan 2 here, police said.
Col. Jibin Bongcayao, Cotabato City police director, identified the victim as Tulon Guinta Abas, a resident of Barangay Tamontaka Mother, also in this city.
Abas and his wife went to Barangay Kalanganan 2 to settle their financial obligation with a lending firm when an unidentified suspect, armed with a .45-caliber pistol, shot him in front of his wife at 8:15 a.m.
He died on the spot, while the suspect fled on a motorcycle.
The wife told police that her husband was also subjected to a gun attack on April 8 in Barangay Tamontaka Mother but survived unharmed. She said she had no idea who was behind the attack.
Abas was immediately laid to his final resting place on Tuesday afternoon in accordance with Islamic beliefs.
He was the 14th individual killed in a gun attack in the Maguindanao provinces since the implementation of the gun ban on July 16, 2026, in line with next month’s Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao parliamentary elections.