BACOLOD City — A 30-year-old laborer was shot dead by a group of unidentified armed men in Sitio Mansiguibo, Barangay San Isidro, Toboso, Negros Occidental on Wednesday evening, January 7, police said.
Authorities identified the victim as alias “Ramil,” a resident of the said village.
According to the Toboso Municipal Police Station (MPS), the incident occurred at around 7 p.m. when seven male suspects wearing bonnets allegedly arrived at the victim’s residence. The suspects reportedly forced the victim to walk about 20 meters away from his house before shooting him with an unknown caliber of firearm, hitting different parts of his body.
At around 8:30 p.m., a concerned citizen, identified as the victim’s sister, called Toboso MPS to report that her brother was shot and rushed to Vicente Gustilo District Hospital in Escalante City.
Responding police officers confirmed that the victim was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital by the attending physician.
Initial investigation revealed that after the shooting, the suspects fled toward the mountainous area of Barangay Bandila, Toboso.
Authorities have launched a manhunt operation and were continuing their investigation to identify the suspects and determine the motive behind the killing.
Earlier on Monday night, January 5, a 44-year-old laborer was also gunned down by unidentified gunmen in Sitio Old Manghanoy, Barangay Manghanoy, La Castellana town.
Police said the victim identified as alias “Noli” was with his cousin at their small fishpond when the incident occurred.
Unidentified suspects suddenly emerged from a nearby sugarcane plantation, approached the victim, and shot him multiple times, police added.
The New People’s Army (NPA) has claimed responsibility for the fatal shooting of a 44-year-old laborer at Barangay Manghanoy in Negros Occidental’s La Castellana town, an incident earlier reported by police as a shooting carried out by unidentified gunmen.
Meanwhile, in a statement on January 7, the Leonardo Panaligan Command of the New People’s Army’s (NPA) Central Negros Guerrilla Front claimed responsibility for the fatal shooting. They identified the victim as Rene “Gaga” Francisco.
The group alleged that Francisco was subjected to what it called a “death penalty” at 6:17 p.m. on January 5, accusing him of being involved in the illegal drug trade (drug pusher) and other criminal activities in Sitio Old Manghanoy.
The NPA further claimed that Francisco had been repeatedly warned to stop allegedly selling illegal drugs, which the group said had negatively affected residents, particularly the youth, farmers and farmworkers.
The statement also alleged that Francisco was an asset of the La Castellana police and claimed that a cellphone seized from him contained information of “intelligence value.”
As of this writing, La Castellana police were verifying the claims made by the NPA and determining the motive behind the killing. (Watchmen Daily Journal)/PN
