Mindanaotoday.com | 4 dead, 2 wounded in attack in Bukidnon town: PNP
By: Jigger Jerusalem
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Four persons were killed in shooting and hacking as a group of family members attacked their neighbors in a village in Lantapan town, Bukidnon, Sunday morning, Nov. 27, 2022, police said.
The attack took place in Sitio Kiabacat, Barangay Songco in Lantapan, a report from the Bukidnon provincial police said.
Investigators identified the fatalities as Rocky Cruz, 33, male married, who sustained gunshot wound in the back of his head; Rachel Cruz, 19, female, who was hit by a gunshot in her left breast; Winlove Sinto, 30, male, who sustained gunshot wound in his chest; and Daniel Lugnasan, 54, male, who was wounded from a hack in his face.
Two more victims – a certain Mael Lugnasan, 30, and a minor – survived the attack.
The alleged suspects were identified by police as Julie Saway, Dindo Saway, Elfredie Saway, all of legal age, male, and residents of the same village.
Aside from the suspects, three other unidentified individuals were seen forcibly entering Mael Lugnasan’s house and shot the victims using unknown caliber of firearms.
The alleged attackers then proceeded to Daniel Lugnasan’s residence and hacked him using a bolo.
“After the incident, the said suspects fled to unknown direction,” the police report said.
In a phone interview Sunday afternoon, Col. Reynante Reyes, Bukidnon provincial police director, said the motive for the shooting and hacking could be due to land dispute.
“Both victims and suspects are claimants of an 80-hectare ancestral land. Both parties are neighbors in Songco,” Reyes said, adding that the town police already have a record of the two sides’ claims to the land.
On Sunday afternoon, tribal and village leaders together with the victims’ family members met to find ways to resolve the conflict and prevent the further escalation of the situation.
Reyes said the meeting was “to negotiate the possible settlement through tribal means they called ‘tampoda,’ [so as] not to escalate [that would lead to] another loss of life.”
The provincial director said police operatives have mounted a pursuit operation to capture the suspects. (MT)
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