BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
It was a bloody weekend in Negros Occidental, where a couple and a woman had been separately killed in cities of Sagay and Escalante, and a headless body was found in Talisay City, police said.
Simon and Hanna Grace Bukaling both died after being shot allegedly by a suspect identified by the police as Niño Andrin on September 17 at Purok Cesco, Brgy. Rafaela Barrera in Sagay City, Negros Occidental.
Sagay City police chief PMaj. Roberto Indiape yesterday said that the motorcycle-riding suspect followed the victims, who were on another motorcycle, from Escalante City.
Upon reaching Purok Cesco in the barangay, Indiape said the Andrin bumped the motorcycle of the victims. When the group fell, the suspect, armed with a .45 caliber pistol, shot the victims several times.
The couple was declared dead on arrival at the Alfredo E. Marañon Sr. Memorial District Hospital in Sagay City, while their daughter, a minor riding with them, was unhurt, he added.
Recovered from the scene of incident were four empty shells of caliber .45 pistol.
Indiape said their pursuit operations led to the arrest of Andrin, 33, of Brgy. Paraiso, Sagay City, based on positive identification of witnesses.
Jealousy is believed to have triggered the shooting incident, Indiape said, noting that the suspect used to be a partner of Hanna Grace.
During his arrest, Andrin denied involvement in the commission of the crime, he added.
The firearm used in the commission of the crime was not recovered, according to Indiape.
HEADLESS CORPSE
A man believed to be a “salvage victim” was found dead on Saturday night along the Airport Access Road in Hacienda Sagrado 2, Brgy. Zone 16, Talisay City, Negros Occidental.
The beheaded and unidentified victim succumbed to a gunshot wound in the head, and had hematoma on his back and chest, according to the Talisay City police.
The victim’s decapitated head was found several meters from his hogtied body.
The victim was later identified as Mario Demetrio, 48, of Purok Sigay, Brgy. Magsungay, Bacolod City, through his mother, Anita.
MEAT SHOP MURDER
On the other hand, the police are still facing a blank wall regarding investigations into the identity of a gunman that killed a businesswoman on September 16 at Purok Mabinoligon in Brgy Dian-ay, Escalante City.
The victim, identified by the police as Josephine Matus, 57, succumbed to gunshot wounds in the chest and back. She was declared dead on arrival at the Lopez District Farmers Hospital in Sagay City, police said.
Initial police investigations showed that the gunman, who was reported to have been wearing a blue ball cap and brown jacket, shot the victim twice at her meat shop stall.
After shooting the victim, the suspect fled on board a red Rusi motorcycle.*
