The Calatrava Municipal Police Station in Negros Occidental is facing a blank wall on the identities of the suspects on the killing of a farmer on March 19.
Maj. Roberto Indiape, town police chief, said they are focusing on grudge as the main motive of the crime, but could not reveal more details yet since they are collating information.
The victim, 43-year-old Lito Villamor, 43, of Barangay Minautok was gunned down by two unidentified men on a motorcycle at around 4:30 p.m. at Sitio Peson of the said barangay.
It is definitely not related to illegal drugs, Indiape said.
Since the victim is a small sugarcane planter and a producer of homemade peanut, the police is also looking into an angle related to his business.
Indiape said that both the victim and the possible suspect have been summoned by barangay several times because of their conflict.
Police report said the victim was last seen by his fellow farmers on a motorcycle being chased by men in another motorcycle and a series of gunshots was then heard.
The victim suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was rushed to the Calatrava District Hospital, where he was declared dead upon arrival.
Investigators recovered six fired cartridges at the scene of the incident.
In Silay City, unidentified assailants shot and killed Arnold Rivera also on March 19 in Hacienda Malinao, Barangay E. Lopez.
Police investigation showed that Rivera and his wife, who were both riding a motorcycle, were waylaid by four suspects, riding a white sedan vehicle and two motorcycles, without plate numbers.
One of the four suspects shot Rivera, 48, at close range, hitting him on the face and left shoulder.
Recovered were two fired cartridges of M16 rifle and a live ammunition of 45 caliber pistol.
Rivera was being alleged as a member of the Epogon robbery group.
In Candoni, a certain Mamerto Pedregosa was declared dead on arrival at a municipal health clinic, after he was stabbed by a suspect identified by the police as Efren Escorde Jr. at Sitio Panaculan in Barangay Caningay.
Before the incident, the victim and the suspect were having a drinking spree.
Escorde is nowhere to be found, as of this time, police said.*ML/GB
