Man arrested for shooting at ‘Ronda’ patrol convoy

ARRESTED SHOOTER --- Cotabato City Mayor Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi questions the man (seated, handcuffed) who shot at a police vehicle of the mayor-led “Ronda” patrol last September 2. (PHOTO COURTESY OF COTABATO CIO / MINDANAO EXPOSE’)

COTABATO CITY ---  Police arrested one of two men who shot at a team of law enforcers, headed by Cotabato City Mayor Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi, on Monday (September 2) night.

The mayor said the man, who had no identification card and refused to reveal his true identity, was arrested by police at the Poblacion area after he fired at the police car that was part of the convoy of the mayor’s nightly “Ronda” patrol.

“The suspect was armed with a .38-caliber revolver. His companion, identified only as ‘Haq,’ managed to escape and is now the subject of manhunt,” Sayadi said in an interview with reporters here on Tuesday (September 3).

Sayadi regularly leads police and village watchmen in conducting the “Ronda” around the city’s crime-prone areas to prevent lawless elements from sowing terror.

The “Ronda patrol” is composed of police, soldiers, and members of the Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team.

Police said the detained suspect was earlier arrested for firing at the steel gates of residences and electric posts at night in their area for no apparent reason.

Although also suspected of being involved in illegal drug pushing in the area, no illegal substance was found in the man’s possession following his arrest. (NOEL PUNZALAN & EDWIN FERNANDEZ, PNA – COTABATO / MINDANAO EXPOSE’)