• RICHARD T. CABALLERO JR.
A senior citizen who was tagged as the 2nd most wanted person in the Negros Island Region was arrested by the Police Regional Office on Monday at Glenwood Subdivision, Barangay Estefania, Bacolod City.
Nabbed was a 62-year-old identified as alias “Hernane,” a caretaker, and a resident of Sitio Esperanza, Barangay Talotog, Murcia, Negros Occidental.
The accused was apprehended for two counts of murder, for allegedly conspiring with three unidentified individuals to shoot their victims, who were caretakers of a sugarcane plantation in the province.
The attack was allegedly sparked by a dispute between the landowner and the tenant over who had the right to harvest the sugarcane first, which escalated into tension between both parties, police said.
The arrest was made by virtue of a warrant of arrest issued on September 1, 2025, by the 6th Judicial Region, Regional Trial Court Branch 48 in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental. The warrant stated that the accused cannot be granted bail for temporary freedom.
The accused was duly informed of his rights in a language they fully understood and is currently under the custody of Murcia Municipal Police Station for proper legal disposition.
PRO-NIR said in a statement that they remain steadfast in their mission to protect the public and call on every community member to remain vigilant and actively support law enforcement by promptly reporting any suspicious or unlawful activities.
“Through the united efforts of the police and the people, the aim of a safer, more peaceful, and progressive Negros Island will not only be envisioned but fully realized,” it added.*
