Eight slain in NegOr in 2-day shootings

By: Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – Eight persons, including a village chief, a rebel returnee, and two educators were killed by unidentified assailants in four separate shooting incidents in Negros island in the past two days.

The recent incident was reported in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental early morning of July 25, 2019 killing a school principal and a local official of the Department of Education (DepEd) Division of Guihulngan at Barangay Hibaiyo.

Police identified the fatalities as Arthur Cordevilla Bayawa, 55, principal of a Science High School; and his sister Ardale Cordevilla Bayawa, 49, chief of the Curriculum Implementation Division (CID) of DepEd in the city.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Bonifacio Tecson, city police chief, said at least 10 armed men barged into their house around 12:55 a.m. and peppered them with bullets inside their bedrooms.

Both victims succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds. The assailants allegedly fled on board an unidentified getaway vehicle.

Tecson said they are looking into work-related or personal as the possible motives behind the killing.

“They had no previous threats, thus we are digging deeper to determine the real motive,” he added.

Tecson said they are also investigating the possible angle of robbery, if in case there were valuables stolen from the house.

Another shooting incident claimed the life of Buenavista village chief Romeo Arbole Alipan, 64.

Tecson said more than 20 armed men believed to be members of the New People’s Army (NPA) arrived at Alipan’s house around 1:45 a.m.

Five of them entered Alipan’s house and shot him to death. He succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds, Tecson said.

His family was left unharmed by the assailants who shouted “Mabuhay ang NPA” and fled on foot.

Tecson said the victim was active in anti-insurgency efforts and activities of the government at Buenavista village.

“Baka mainit sya sa kabila, kaya nangyari yun,” he added.

Tecson said the village chief has no threats, based on their initial investigation.

In Siaton town, a certain Raklin Astorias of Barangay Maloh was also shot to death by motorcycle-riding assailants at the said village past 8 a.m. yesterday.

The victim was riding a motorcycle when he was attacked by the perpetrators.

Police have yet to determine the motive.

In Zamboanguita town, rebel returnee Weny Alegre, 37, of Barangay Calango; and Felimino Janayan, of the said village, president of United Calango Farmer Association (UCFA) were gunned down by four unidentified men on two motorcycles near a cockpit at Barangay Poblacion last Wednesday.

Police Captain Danilo Santillan, town police chief, said the victims were riding a motorcycle on their way home when they were waylaid by the assailants, who were already tailing them.

Two of the perpetrators fired their guns at the two victims, who sustained multiple gunshot wounds.

They were shot at close range, Santillan said.

Santillan said the assailants shouted “Mabuhay and New People’s Army (NPA)” before they fled to the south direction.

Recovered from the scene were 11 fired cartridges of .45 caliber, two fired cartridges of .9mm, and two fired slugs of an unknown firearm.

Santillan said Alegre surrendered to the military in 2011, and was assigned to be an overseer of a forest under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

However, a portion of the forest was previously burned by unidentified men, but police later found out that he intentionally burned it, but he refused to be investigated, Santillan said.

Santillan said both victims were allegedly seen accepting or welcoming armed men at their residences.

“It could be that he surrendered but still having connections with the revolutionary movement,” he added.

Santillan said they are exploring other angles, though they are closely probing the incident as possible insurgency-related.

Last Wednesday, Yngwie Malmstien Fabugais, 23, of Barangay Bajumpandan, Dumaguete City was shot to death by two unidentified men on a motorcycle at his house.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Gregorio Galsim, city police chief, said the victim was watching television, when the suspects suddenly entered his house and shot him using a .45-caliber pistol. He succumbed to gunshot wounds on his head.

Galsim said they have no idea yet about the motive behind the killing, since the victim has no threats previously.

Meanwhile, Police Colonel Raul Tacaca, director of Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (Norppo), said investigation is ongoing on all cases.

In Ayungon town, Reden Eleuterio, 50, of Barangay Mabato, a driver was riding his motorcycle when he was shot by unidentified motorcycle-riding assailants yesterday.

In just a week, 13 people were killed in the province, including the ambush slay on four policemen in Ayungon town on July 18, and murder of a lawyer in Guihulngan City on July 23, and suicide of a village chief in Ayungon town on the same day.