• THERESA MAE DULMAN
A day meant to celebrate life turned into a scene of brutal violence on Monday, January 26, as a village official was gunned down on the same day his daughter marked her 26th birthday in Barangay Sta. Rosa, in the town of Murcia, Negros Occidental.
The victim, identified as Joe Arnel Gawan, an incumbent Barangay Kagawad and resident of Purok Relocation, Brgy. Sta. Rosa, was declared dead on arrival at the Murcia Health Unit after sustaining a fatal gunshot wound to the head.
“My sister and I were planning on how we are going to make his birthday memorable, which turns out to be literally memorable and traumatizing,” said Jonel Gawan, son of the victim, adding that they want him remembered for his “kindness and dignity as a righteous man,” rather than the manner of his death.
The victim was also supposed to celebrate his 60th birthday this February 6.
Initial investigations conducted by the Murcia Municipal Police Station revealed that the incident occurred at approximately 10:25 a.m.
The victim had just alighted from a Mitsubishi Highlander following a community clean-up drive when 2 unidentified suspects suddenly opened fire and immediately fled the scene heading toward the direction of Murcia town proper.
“He’s not dead, he was killed! And justice always prevails,” Gawan added.
The Murcia police have since launched a manhunt and hot pursuit operation to locate and identify the fleeing suspects and requested dragnet operations from neighboring police stations.
While the motive for the killing remains undetermined, authorities are currently conducting follow-up operations.*
