Police probe killing of village chief’s kin

By: Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – The Ayungon Municipal Police Station in Negros Oriental is exploring all angles behind the killing of the cousin of Mabato village chief last Thursday.

Police Major Romel Luga, town police chief, said they cannot yet conclude if the death of 50-year-old Reden Eleuterio was work-related or personal, as they have yet to talk with the victim’s family for a possible lead on the case.

“We don’t know yet if he had threats before,” he added.

Luga said they have no motive yet behind his death.

On July 25, Eleuterio was riding a motorcycle on his way home past 5 p.m. when two unidentified men on another motorcycle blocked his way and shot him several times at Barangay Tampocon II.

He died on the spot due to gunshot wounds on the head.

Luga said the two gunmen were probably tailing him from his work.

“The victim parked the dump truck at the back of the municipal hall before he went home. He was working as a driver of a construction firm,” Luga said.

Two more men on another motorcycle were also tailing him as possible back-up of the gunmen, he added.

Recovered from the scene were 13 fired bullets, and deformed slugs of .45-caliber ammunitions.

Eleuterio was the cousin of Mabato village chief Sunny Caldera, 51, who allegedly committed suicide on July 22 by drinking pesticide, while he was facing probe for the ambush slay of four police officers staged by the New People’s Army (NPA) in their village on July 18.

Police earlier said that Caldera was not even tagged in the ambush.

In fact, he was cooperative in the investigation since it’s his area of jurisdiction.

Luga said Eleuterio’s case has nothing to do with Caldera’s link to the ambush slay.

Although they also have no lead yet on the identities of the four perpetrators, Luga said they are also not discounting the possibliity that the New People’s Army (NPA) was behind the killing.

Eleuterio was among the seven persons killed in separate shooting incidents in the province last Thursday.