COTABATO CITY — Gunmen brutally killed a member of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) right in the premises of the fire station in Katipunan town in Zamboanga del Norte on Monday.

Brig. Gen. Bowenn Joey M. Masauding, director of the Police Regional Office-9, told reporters on Tuesday that he has directed the officers in the Zamboanga Del Norte Provincial Police Office to enlist the help of local officials in Katipunan in identifying the killers of Fire Officer 3 Ronie N. Baculad.

Mr. Baculad was on-duty when two men riding a motorcycle together pulled over near their fire station in Barangay Uno in Katipunan and shot him with pistols. He died instantly from multiple bullet wounds sustained in the attack.

The two gunmen, who had immediately escaped, are now subject of an extensive joint search by municipal officials, personnel of the Katipunan Municipal Police Station and intelligence agents from different PRO-9 units.

Mr. Masauding said investigators shall also tap the support of barangay officials in putting a closure to the incident, possibly the first ever murder in Mindanao of an on-duty BFP member.

Companions of the slain Baculad said there is a possibility that the duo could be killers-for-hire. — John Felix M. Unson