By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD City – Police are eyeing job-related motive behind the killing of a member of Bantay Bukid at Sitio Ecogan Barangay Minapasuk, Calatrava, Negros Occidental last Tuesday.
The victim was identified as Ronald Barbon, 49, of Barangay Celestino Villasin, Cadiz City.
Police Major Roberto Indiape Jr., town police chief, said Villasin and his wife were about to go home when three unidentified men approached them.
Indiape said one of the suspects reportedly threatened the victim’s wife at knifepoint and forced her to go home, leaving behind her husband.
Indiape said that Villasin’s wife stayed at a friend’s house that night, and returned the following day to the area, where she last saw her husband alive.
The lifeless body of her husband greeted her. He suffered a lone stab wound in the abdomen.
Indiape said the victim, according to her wife, had reprimanded a group of persons reportedly cutting trees in the village where he was assigned a few weeks ago.
But Villasin did not tell his wife the identities of these persons.
Aside from that, Indiape said the victim was also giving information to authorities about illegal activities in the upland part of the village.