BACOLOD CITY – Three persons, including a barangay captain, were killed by more than 10 unidentified armed men in two separate shooting incidents in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental early yesterday morning.
The first shooting incident happened in Barangay Hibaiyo around 12:55 a.m., killing a school principal and an official of the Department of Education Division of Guihulngan.
Police identified the fatalities as siblings Arthur Cordevilla Bayawa, 55, principal of Science High School; and Ardale Cordevilla Bayawa, 49, chief of Curriculum Implementation Division of DepEd.
Police Lt. Col. Bonifacio Tecson, Guihulngan police chief, said at least 10 armed men barged in their house and shot them several times inside their bedrooms. The victims sustained multiple bullet wounds, killing them on the spot.
The assailants fled on board an unknown getaway vehicle.
Tecson said they are not yet sure if the two victims had previous threats but they are looking into work-related or personal as possible angles in the killing. “We are digging deeper to determine the real motive,” he added.
He said they are also investigating the possible angle of robbery, if in case there were valuables stolen during the incident.
The second shooting incident happened almost an hour later, in Barangay Poblacion, killing Barangay Buenavista captain Romeo Arbole Alipan, 64.
Tecson said more than 20 armed men believed to be members of the New People’s Army arrived at Alipan’s house around 1:45 a.m.
He said five of them entered Alipan’s house and shot him to death. His family was left unharmed by the assailants who shouted “Mabuhay ang NPA” and fled on foot.
Tecson said the victim was active in insurgency efforts and activities of the government in Barangay Buenavista. “Baka mainit siya sa kabila, kaya nangyari ‘yun,” he added.
He said the victim had no threats based on their initial investigation.
The two incidents were among the series of killings in the past three days in the province since July 23. Among those killed was a lawyer, Anthony Trinidad, 53, of San Carlos City, Negros Occidental.
The San Carlos Diocese in Negros Occidental and the family of Trinidad, who was killed in Guihulngan last Tuesday, are calling for justice and stoppage of killings in Negros Oriental.
Andrea Trinidad, sister of Anthony, said in her Facebook account last Wednesday that “the spate of killings in the country and the culture of violence have to stop.” (Glazyl Masculino)
