Woman Robbed, Shot After Withdrawing P135,000 in Cotabato

A woman in Cotabato City, Philippines, was robbed of P135,000 and shot by suspected robbers while on her way home from a bank on Friday afternoon, Sept. 4, despite an ongoing election gun ban. Colonel Jibin Bongcayao, Cotabato City police director, stated that the victim, identified only as "Mercy," had withdrawn the cash and boarded a "habal-habal" (motorcycle taxi) when the suspects followed her. At approximately 3:10 p.m. on Climente Alino Street in Barangay Rosary Heights 2, one of the suspects grabbed the victim's sling bag containing the money. When she resisted, the suspects shot her in the face. The bullet also struck the habal-habal driver in the neck. The suspects fled towards Notre Dame Avenue, making off with the stolen cash. Both the woman and the driver were rushed to the Cotabato Regional and Medical Center and are currently recovering. Police recovered empty shells from a caliber .45 pistol at the scene. The attack occurred amidst the strict implementation of an election gun ban, a measure in place for the upcoming Bangsamoro parliamentary elections on September 14. The incident highlights persistent security challenges even under heightened restrictions. Source: Inquirer NewsInfo