BY ADRIAN P. NEMES III
Two farmers died when they were shot and stabbed in Cauayan and Salvador Benedicto towns, Negros Occidental Monday.
Police identified the victims as Gaudioso Alforque, 55, of Purok Humayan in Brgy. Pinowayan, Salvador Benedicto, and Marjun Paclibar, 32, of Sitio Ginubatan, Purok 9, Brgy. Talacdan in Cauayan.
P/Corporal Aler Cañete of the Salvador Benedicto town police said they were informed by Captain Henry Alcorin that a shooting incident occurred in Brgy. Pinowayan at about 5:30 p.m.
Cañete said they found the bullet-riddled body of Alforque in the forested area of Brgy. Pinowayan.
He said that before the body was discovered, residents heard several gunshots but did not see the suspects.
The motive for the killing of Alforque, who had no bad records in the barangay, was yet to be established although Cañete said it is possible that his killing is connected to the shooting to death of one of his children in 2012.
Cañete admitted they are facing a blank wall on the incident due to the absence of witnesses who could shed light on the killing.
Police recovered a slug and two empty shells of a .45 caliber pistol at the crime scene, he added.
In Cauayan, Paclibar died on the spot after his neighbors Romelo and Romeo Basilio reportedly ganged up and stabbed him with an unknown bladed weapon at about 6 a.m. Monday, the police said.
Initial investigation showed that Paclibar was tending his farm when the suspects arrived and stabbed him for still unknown reasons.
Romelo surrendered after the commission of the crime but his father, Romeo, escaped. An old grudge could have triggered the incident, the police also said.*
