Cotabato town mayor allegedly on narco list survives assassination attempt

KIDAPAWAN CITY - A town mayor who was allegedly on the narco list of President Rodrigo Duterte survived an assassination attempt inside the municipal hall on Monday morning.

Christopher Cuan, mayor of the municipality of Libungan in Cotabato, was inside the municipal hall when an unidentified gunman started firing at him, according to Senior Superintendent Maximo Layugan, director of the Cotabato Police Provincial Office (CPPO).

The mayor was able to escape.

A utility worker at the municipal hall was hit by a stray bullet on the left knee.

Cuan's security escort was able to fight back but the suspect was able to flee on a getaway vehicle waiting outside the municipal hall, just a few meters away from the town's police station.

Cuan has denied he is involved in the illegal drug trade.

Authorities conducted a raid in October 2016 in a residence, guardhouse, motor pool, and gasoline station all owned by Cuan in Kabacan but they failed to find illegal drugs. However, they were able to recover high-powered firearms and hundreds of live ammunition.

In November 2017, the National Police Commission (Napolcom) issued a list of local government officials stripped of their supervision and control over the police in their respective jurisdictions due to either alleged drug links or abuse of authority. Cuan's name was on the list. —KG, GMA News