Mindanaotoday.com | Fifth victim dies in Bukidnon’s Sunday massacre
By: Jigger Jerusalem
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – An 11-year-old girl was the latest victim to die following a bloodbath in a remote village in Bukidnon that already claimed the lives of four persons, police said Tuesday, Nov. 29.
Police identified the fifth fatality as Salyawan Pina, who was hit by attackers when they stormed a farm house in Sitio Kiabacat, Barangay Songco in Lantapan, Bukidnon.
According to Maj. Harvey Sanchez, Bukidnon provincial police investigator, a group of suspects all surnamed Saway attacked a cluster of houses and shot Rocky Cruz, his wife Rachel, and Winlove Sinto on Sunday, Nov. 27.
The three victims did not reach the hospital alive, while Pina was brought to a medical facility but expired the following day.
Also killed was Daniel Lugnasan, who was staying at an adjacent hut when the attack happened.
Sanchez identified the alleged attackers as Julie Saway, Dindo Saway, and Elfredie Saway.
He said Pina helped around the farm owned by Lugnasan while some of the victims were his farm hand.
“Pina was a relative of Lugnasan. She used to help by babysitting the children,” Sanchez said, adding that the female minor was hit in the stomach.
He added the motive for the attack could be due to land dispute involving Lugnasan and the suspects.
Sanchez said part of the contested 12-hectare land (and not 80 hectares as earlier reported) was planted with cabbage by Lugnasan.
He said it was Lugnasan who first cultivated the property, but one of the suspects, Julie, had laid claim to it saying they are the rightful owner since it is part of their ancestral domain.
Both parties have been called at the Songco barangay hall several times in the past but the parties failed to reach a resolution to the conflict.
“The suspects want Daniel to vacate the land, but he asserted that he was there first,” Sanchez said.
The police investigator said on the day of incident, the Saways went to Lugnasan’s farm house and fired shots as they approached.
Witnesses said they saw the suspects entered the farm house and heard gunshots as soon as the attackers were inside the dwelling.
“The victims were unaware that the suspects will shot at them. Based on our investigation, the victims have no weapons in their possession,” Sanchez said.
The suspects also made their way to an adjacent hut and hacked Lugnasan killing him.
As of this writing, authorities are still tracking down the suspects, Sanchez said, adding that the victims’ families have signified their intent to file criminal complaint against those responsible for the deaths of their relatives.
Sanchez said the alleged perpetrators could be facing multiple murder should charges be filed against them. (MT)
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