THE Police Regional Office in Northern Mindanao (PRO 10) has identified persons of interest in the killing of a former National Irrigation Administration (NIA) employee in Cagayan de Oro City.
In an interview with reporters on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, acting director Police Brigadier General Christopher Abrahano said that aside from the gunmen, they have identified several individuals who “played an important” role in the killing of Niruh Kyle Antatico, a former legal researcher at NIA.
“We'd like to think na ‘yung mga tinutumbok namin, parang importante ‘yung role nila doon sa insidente,” he said.
(We’d like to think that the people we are reaching out to play an important role in the incident.)
Antatico was shot dead while driving his car in Barangay Patag on Friday, October 10, 2025.
The gunmen, who are believed to be gun-for-hire, escaped aboard a motorcycle.
The victim was rushed to the hospital but was declared dead upon arrival.
Abrahano said the victim has been receiving death threats since he resigned from the agency last year.
“Merong mga lumalabas sa social media. Apparently, may mga nire-reveal siya na may mga allegations siya ng corruptions doon sa kanyang pinanggalingang ahensya,” he said.
(There have been posts circulating on social media. Apparently, this person has been making allegations of corruption in the agency they came from.)
“Meron siyang binabanggit tungkol sa isang P75 million project. Which was espoused noong panahon ng Duterte administration. So kung tama ‘yung recollection ko doon sa post niya sa social media, it was parang na-iplano ito noong Duterte administration tapos na-tapos na-implement itong current administration,” Abrahano added.
(He mentioned a P75-million project that was initiated during the Duterte administration. If I recall correctly from his social media post, it was planned under the Duterte administration and implemented during the current administration.)
The NIA has pledged to give P100,000 to anyone who will provide vital information to locate the assailants. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)