Cops Link Ilog Slay to Alleged Illegal Transactions

By Glazyl M. Jopson

BACOLOD CITY – Police in Ilog, Negros Occidental, have identified the alleged mastermind behind the killing of a 23-year-old man, linking the crime to possible illegal transactions.

Police Maj. Randy Babor, chief of the Ilog Municipal Police Station, said the suspect was identified through witness statements and other evidence gathered during the investigation.

He declined to release the suspect’s identity pending the filing of murder and attempted murder charges against the primary suspect and four accomplices.

Babor said the alleged mastermind held personal grudges against the victim and his 24-year-old friend.

He added that their investigation uncovered possible illegal dealings between the victims and the main suspect, but he declined to disclose details.

He said the motive may also be tied to the victims’ visits to other areas to play billiards.

Babor said the prime suspect is believed to have hired four men who allegedly abducted the victims in Kabankalan City and brought them to Barangay Dancalan in Ilog, where one of them was killed.

The surviving victim is under police safekeeping as authorities gather more evidence to complete the case documents.

The victims, identified as “Kirt” and “Nik,” reportedly traveled from Bacolod to Kabankalan on Tuesday afternoon to play billiards.

Upon arriving, they were allegedly seized by armed men with covered faces and forced into a white van.

They were hogtied with cable ties and had cloths covering their faces.

In Ilog, the suspects allegedly shot Kirt in the head, killing him instantly.

Nik escaped and sought help from nearby residents.

Although Nik gave inconsistent initial statements, Babor said these were corroborated by other witness accounts and gathered evidence.

He said the Ilog police are focusing on the murder case, while the abduction angle falls under the jurisdiction of the Kabankalan police.

Meanwhile, Police Lt. Col. Roberto Indiape Jr., chief of the Kabankalan City Police Station, dismissed the abduction claim based on their investigation.

Indiape said Nik gave conflicting statements regarding the location where the alleged abduction occurred.