COTABATO CITY — Law enforcement authorities have launched a manhunt against gunmen who killed two persons in separate shootings here Monday night and Tuesday dawn.

"Manhunt is ongoing against the perpetrators of two separate gun attacks," said Cotabato Police spokesperson Lt. Col. Carmelo Mungkas.

Mungkas identified the victims as Jonity Kubato and Joseph Yu, both local residents, stressing that the two incidents were unrelated.

Mungkas said Kubato was driving his silver gray sedan heading home at about 5:45 p.m. Monday when two men riding tandem on a motorbike showed up on Gonzalo Javier Street, Barangay Rosary Heights 7 and opened fire.

He died on the spot from multiple gunshot wounds in the head and body.

The suspects sped away before responding village watchmen and policemen arrived.

Police found empty shells for a .45-caliber pistol at the crime scene.

Meanwhile, at 3:30 a.m. Tuesday, police received a call about a shooting that transpired inside the home of Yu, who was running a boarding house, in Barangay Poblacion 3.

Maj. John Vincent Bravo, city police station 1 chief, said an initial investigation showed that the victim had a heated discussion with an unidentified man who later pulled a pistol and shot him in the head.