BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
A police officer was among the four fatalities on Christmas Day celebration in Negros Occidental, with another one was reported to have been injured.
P/Cpl. Joebert Diasante, a member of the Silay City Police Station, died after being trapped inside a burning house at Purok Jacinto in Brgy. San Fernando, Talisay City, Negros Occidental, on December 25, police said.
Uldarico Diasanta Jr., in a radio interview, said that his policeman- brother was sleeping at the house of their parents at Purok Jacinto in Brgy. San Fernando, Talisay City, when the fire broke out.
Uldarico, who managed to flee from their burning house, said he tried to douse the fire. But the fire already engulfed their house, as he was unable to rescue his sibling who was screaming for help.
Based on their investigations, Fire Senior Inspector Jovelyn Zamar, Talisay City BFP acting chief, disclosed that a leftover candle believed to have been caused the fire, as the electricity had not been restored in their house.
PLt. Col. Robert Petate, Silay City police chief, described Diasanta as a dedicated police officer.
On the same day, an unidentified gunman shot and killed Edmar Gayatin, who was sleeping inside his residence at Purok Sigay, in Brgy. 2, Bacolod City.
Gayatin, 27, who was reported by the police as drug surrenderer, succumbed to fatal gunshot injuries in the head and neck. He died on the spot, PLt. Liberty Indiape, deputy spokesperson of the Bacolod City Police Office, yesterday said.
Three empty shells of .45 caliber pistol were recovered by the police at the scene of incident.
Purok president Randy Achinova reported to the police that Christopher Belle, 39, was hacked with a bolo allegedly by Joey Boy Lademora also on December 25 at Purok Zone 11, in Brgy. Bacuyangan, Hinobaan.
Belle, who succumbed to neck injuries, died on the spot, according to a report of the Hinobaan Police Station, while Lademora immediately escaped after the incident.
The search for Jose Edlan Jr. ended on December 25 after he was found dead in Brgy. Quintin Remo, Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental, police said.
The decomposing body of Edlan, 72, was discovered about 300 meters away from his residence, almost a week after he failed to return home.
A farmer identified as Freddie Catanyag was reported by the police to have been injured after being shot by an unidentified suspect also on December 25 in Hacienda Zaragosa, Brgy. Don Jorge Araneta, Bago City.
Catanyag, 58, suffered a gunshot wound in his chest, after being shot twice by still unidentified gunman, police said.*
