COTABATO CITY (MindaNews / 2 January) – A police escort was killed following bursts of gunshots while members of the prominent Sinsuat clan gathered here to settle family differences on Tuesday afternoon.

The meeting took place at the house of former Maguindanao First District Rep. Ronnie Sinsuat Sr. at Rosales Street, Barangay Rosary Heights 6 at around 2 p.m.

This reporter rushed to the scene and learned that siblings former Maguindanao Vice Governor Datu Bimbo Sinsuat and Datu Ronnie Sinsuat Sr., and nephew Mayor Datu Lester Sinsuat, of Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte, were having a New Year’s meeting to reinvigorate family relations and settle differences when burst of gunfire were heard outside the compound.

A policeman who was assigned as escort of one of the VIPs or very important persons was killed in the incident.

The victim’s name was not immediately made available.

He was brought to the hospital but was pronounced dead upon arrival.

Troops from the Philippine Marines, Cotabato City Police Office, and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group cordoned Rosales Street for investigation and to prevent tension from escalating.

(Ferdinandh Cabrera / MindaNews)