Couple Killed, Daughter Hurt in Farming Dispute

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD CITY – A couple was killed and their teenage daughter injured in an attack linked to a farming dispute at Sitio Binalbagan, Barangay Masulog, La Castellana, Negros Occidental, on Thursday.

The victims, a 50-year-old man and a 56-year-old woman, were hacked and stabbed to death. Their 18-year-old daughter, who sustained head injuries, is recovering in a hospital. The police withheld their names.

Police Major Rhojn Darell Nigos, chief of La Castellana Police, said the family was walking to their farm around 7 a.m. when they were ambushed by four unidentified individuals armed with bolos.

The daughter managed to escape, but her parents succumbed to multiple hack and stab wounds to the head.

Authorities recovered the murder weapon at the scene.

Nigos said investigators are pursuing persons of interest and gathering more evidence to file appropriate charges.

The couple’s farm was reportedly located within the four-kilometer Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ) of Mt. Kanlaon, an area under farming restrictions due to volcanic hazards.

Nigos also noted reports of a previous misunderstanding involving the couple but said the information has yet to be confirmed.

The investigation is ongoing.

Robbery Attempt Leaves Man Wounded

Meanwhile, a 29-year-old man survived a robbery attempt in Barangay Codcod, San Carlos City, on the same day.

The victim and his wife had just delivered vegetables in Bacolod when they spotted two individuals standing along the roadside on their way home.

As the couple approached, the suspects attempted to block their path. When the victim evaded them, the suspects fired shots, hitting him in the chin and arm.

Despite his injuries, the victim managed to drive away quickly, preventing the suspects from pursuing them.

He was later taken to a hospital, while his wife remained unharmed.