KIDAPAWAN CITY -- Police in Kabacan town in North Cotabato arrested Tuesday three suspects in the killing a former town vice mayor in Lanao del Sur.

Chief Inspector Frank Anito, chief of Kabacan police, identified the suspects as Randy Kadatuan Dimalongan, believed to be the triggerman; Musanib Bondola; and Abdul Abdullah, who was recognized by one of the witnesses as the driver of the motorcycle that was used as get-away vehicle.

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Anito said the suspects' arrest came after a tip from "very reliable sources."

The suspects were accused of killing former Bayang town vice mayor Salim Rajamuda, 50, who now resides at Ulangkaya Subdivision in Poblacion, Kabacan.

The victim, reports said, was on his way to the town's public market on Sunday when he was shot by Dimalongan using his caliber .45 pistol. The victim tried to escape but the suspects chased and shot him many times on his chest and head, reports added.

When they saw that their target has been neutralized, the suspects just walked away from the scene as if nothing has happened and later rode on a motorcycle parked just few meters away from the victim's house.

One of the witnesses, an out-of-school youth, identified Dimalongan as the triggerman. The police were able to trace Dimalongan's whereabouts through tips from their informants.

Bondola and Abdullah were nabbed after Dimalongan's arrest.

When Rajamuda's relatives and supporters learned that the suspects were already in the police custody, they went immediately to the station to confront the killers.

Anito, however, tried to appease their anger and assured them that justice will prevail.

Anito said murder charges were already filed against the suspects last Monday.

The killing of Rajamuda came a day after a 19-year-old Randy Umpan was killed by two still unidentified gunmen while he was walking along the national highway here on Monday dawn.

Umpan was believed to be involved in a series of robbery and hold-up incidents in Kidapawan City and nearby towns in North Cotabato, reports said. (MCM)