BACOLOD City – Investigators of the San Carlos City police station are looking into individuals they consider “persons of interest” in the fatal shooting of radioman Julius Barellano.
San Carlos City police head Superintendent D’Artagnan Katalbas said they already have information that led to the identification of the suspects.
Several witnesses provided them the information, he added.
The 35-year-old Barellano is a radio correspondent of 101.5 FM Radyo Bandera Bacolod and is affiliated with the National Federation of Sugarcane Workers (NFSW).
He was shot to death in front of his live-in partner around 8:30 a.m. on June 27 near his house in Barangay Rizal, San Carlos City, Negros Occidental, a police report showed.
Katalbas said they would soon file charges against the suspects.
He added that his men have gathered “circumstantial evidence” that would help them uncover the motive in the shooting.
Katalbas said Barellano’s death may be related to him being a radioman and his affiliation with the NFSW, or due to personal grudges.
Barellano is the leader of the Hacienda Medina Farmers Association in San Carlos City. His co-members in the association have claimed that his death is related to land conflict.
Christian Tuayon, chairperson of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan Negros and a close friend of Barellano, has affirmed this.
Tuayon said Barellano had been at the forefront of a legal dispute against a landlord over an ejection case involving about 140 tenants in Hacienda Medina./PN
