In a shocking incident in Datu Hoffer Ampatuan, Maguindanao del Sur, authorities are actively searching for two men suspected of ambushing and killing two members of the Teduray Lambangian tribe. The attack occurred on Thursday afternoon in a secluded village, leaving the community in mourning and fear. The victims, identified as Cita Angan, aged 39, and Ricky Tapioc, aged 30, were both residents of Barangay Mantao. The ambush also left two others injured: Kutang Tilok, a fellow member of the Indigenous Peoples community, and Saber Zacaria, a local motorcycle driver. The police are currently relying on statements from the survivors to aid in identifying the perpetrators. The incident was reported by former Barangay Sayap Chair Abdullah Omar, who heard gunfire around 4 p.m. in Sitio Skagit, Barangay Sayap. Responding officers, led by Lt. Albert Pansoy Jr., faced challenges reaching the crime scene due to the rough terrain. The victims were returning home with relief goods provided by the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s Ministry of Social Services and Development when they were attacked. Melanio Ulama, the Minister of the BARMM Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, denounced the killings as a brutal and indefensible act of violence. Cita Angan was the spouse of tribal leader Baywan Angan, who was also killed in a separate incident in December. Ulama urged law enforcement and government agencies to take immediate action to protect the Indigenous Peoples in the area.
