CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (MindaNews / 15 Oct) — Following the October 10 shooting of a National Irrigation Administration (NIA) legal officer, police reported on Tuesday that they have identified persons of interest in the case.

Niruh Kyle Antatico, a Juris Doctor and employee of NIA-Northern Mindanao (NIA-10), was shot dead by motorcycle-riding assailants along the highway in Barangay Patag on October 10.

According to initial police reports, the 40-year-old legal officer was driving along the highway when the two unidentified gunmen opened fire at his vehicle. 

Before his shooting, Antatico was known to expose project irregularities at NIA through his social media page.

Authorities have yet to determine the motive behind the attack, but investigators are considering work-related angles, including his role in handling NIA’s legal cases.

“We’re looking at all possible angles, primarily yung kanyang former trabaho sa NIA,” said Brig. Gen. Christopher Abrahano, director of Police Regional Office-10.

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)-10 has also joined the probe to help gather additional evidence.

Maj. Emilita Simon, spokesperson of the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (COCPO), clarified that the persons of interest in the case are not necessarily suspects but could also be potential witnesses.

Investigators also learned that Antatico had received death threats as early as 2024, though these were never officially reported to authorities. “Our backtracking does not only cover the day of the incident but also when the threats against the victim began,” Simon said.

Meanwhile, NIA-10 has offered a ₱100,000 reward for information that could help identify the gunmen.

Simon said police are urging anyone with knowledge about the case to come forward to aid in the investigation. (Henniequel Shayne Acobo / MindaNews)