Two suspects were arrested in connection with a shooting incident that left one person dead and another wounded in Santa Catalina, Negros Oriental, on Friday, Oct. 16, police said.
The Police Regional Office-Negros Island Region identified the suspects only as aliases “Jos” and “Wil.”
The shooting happened at around 3 a.m. in Sitio Cang-Alaw, Brgy. Buenavista, involving four victims.
Police said a 59-year-old man from Brgy. Talalak was found dead at the scene with a gunshot wound to the head, while another victim sustained a gunshot wound and was brought to the Bayawan District Hospital.
A third victim escaped unharmed, while another was initially reported missing and has yet to be located.
Initial investigation showed that the victims were preparing to sleep when the two suspects allegedly arrived while under the influence of liquor.
According to the surviving witness, the suspects allegedly offered to sell a firearm to one of the victims.
When the offer was refused, the suspects allegedly cocked their firearms and opened fire.
One victim fled toward a nearby river, while the wounded victim also managed to escape.
Investigators recovered two fired 9mm cartridge cases and two fired .45-caliber cartridge cases from the crime scene.
Police are looking into a land boundary dispute as a possible motive following an earlier disagreement involving the family of one of the victims and a relative of one of the suspects over property boundaries and the harvesting of coconut trees.
Authorities stressed that the motive remains under investigation.
A joint hot pursuit operation led to the arrest of “Jos” at around 2:16 p.m. Friday in Sitio Palali, Brgy. San Isidro, Pamplona.
Police said he was identified by a victim-witness as one of the alleged gunmen.
The second suspect, “Wil,” surrendered at around 10:54 p.m. at the residence of the barangay captain in Brgy. Buenavista, Santa Catalina.
He was subsequently brought to the Santa Catalina Municipal Police Station and was also identified by a witness as allegedly involved in the shooting.
PRO-NIR director Brig. Gen. Rudecindo Reales said the arrests were only part of the continuing investigation.
“The arrest of the two suspects is an important development, but our work does not end there,” Reales said.
He directed investigators to pursue all credible leads, establish the full circumstances of the shooting and continue efforts to locate the missing victim.
Police are also completing the necessary documentation for the filing of appropriate charges against the suspects.*
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