GENERAL SANTOS CITY — Police are eyeing “rido” or clan feud as the motive behind the killing of a member of the Mindanao State University (MSU) security unit inside its main campus here Tuesday.
Insp. Winnie Perez, deputy chief of city police station 7, said Wednesday their investigation showed that the family of slain security guard Casim “Simon” Pangcoga, 62, has a standing conflict with another clan over undisclosed reasons.
Perez said the situation was admitted by the victim’s family following the latter’s murder in front of his home located inside the university compound.
Pangcoga was about to board his motorcycle past 6 a.m. when he was shot several times by a lone gunman. He was declared dead upon arrival at a nearby hospital due to gunshot wounds on the head and chest.
“He was reportedly involved in the conflict (rido) being the elder of the family,” Perez told reporters.
Acmad Mocamad, head of MSU’s security unit, said the victim had no known enemy within the university and had not been involved in any work-related conflict.
However, he said Pangcoga, who was employed at the university in the past 10 years, confided to him a week ago about a “family trouble.” He said the “rido” involving the victim’s family has reportedly heated up and could result in violence.
Abdurrahman Canacan, MSU General Santos chancellor, condemned the murder of Pangcoga, whom he described as a serious and dedicated worker of the university.
“He was always focused on his work and had good relations with fellow security guards,” Canacan said
In a statement, the university management described the incident as “tragic,” noting that it happened while the victim was hurriedly preparing to attend a congregational prayer in celebration of Eid’l Adha (Feast of Sacrifice).
It said that the university, through the security office, is closely coordinating with police investigators to help facilitate the resolution of the case and the arrest of the suspect.
“As insinuated by some relatives of the victim, the incident was maybe an offshoot of a clan feud, thus, an isolated one,” the university added. (PNA)
