• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
A 58-year-old woman was gunned down, allegedly by a barangay tanod in Victorias City, while a farmer was burned to death in Cadiz City, all in Negros Occidental, on April 16.
The woman victim, whose identity was withheld by the police, was feeding her four-year-old grandson, when the suspect, armed with a caliber .357 Magnum revolver, arrived at her residence, in Hacienda Loreta Chang, Brgy. 10, Victorias City, on Tuesday evening.
Heated altercations ensued between the victim and the suspect, who was reportedly under the influence of liquor, which later led to a shooting incident, according to the initial investigation of the Victorias City Police Station.
The victim, who succumbed to a gunshot injury in her left chest, was declared dead on arrival at the Victorias City Emergency Clinic, police said.
The suspect, a barangay tanod, immediately fled after the shooting incident. The motive of the shooting is still being established by the police, as of this time.
Recovered from the scene of the crime were a caliber .357 Magnum revolver, three fired cartridges, two misfired ammunition, and two slugs of the same caliber of firearm.
On the other hand, a 65-year-old farmer was reported by the police to have been accidentally burned alive on Tuesday in Sitio Cotcot, Brgy. Mabini, Cadiz City.
Police investigations showed that the victim set fire to a sugarcane field, in preparation for cultivation of the land. He unfortunately died after he was trapped inside the burning canefield, the report added.
His lifeless body was discovered by his neighbor inside the canefield at about 3 p.m., Tuesday.
According to the Cadiz police, the victim died due to asphyxia and second to multiple-degree burns.*
