By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD City – The Calatrava Municipal Police Station in Negros Occidental is looking into grudges as possible motive behind the shooting to death of a man in a sugarcane field at Barangay Minaotok, Calatrava town last Tuesday.
Police identified the victim as Mark Baytan, 23, of the said village.
Major Roberto Indiape Jr., town police chief, said two unidentified men arrived in the area around 9 am and called out Baytan.
When the victim answered, he was shot at close range.
The perpetrators fled leaving Baytan with multiple gunshot wounds in the body and head. He died on the spot.
Police recovered from the scene a fired bullet and a slug of .45 caliber ammunition.
Indiape said the victim was allegedly previously part of a group involved in extortion and robbery hold-up incidents in the area, but their leader was already neutralized and the members scattered.
Indiape said the Baytan’s killing could also be a form of vengeance by one of the group’s victims.
The victim was also previously involved in a shooting incident, but no case was filed against him, the town police chief added.
Indiape said they have no lead yet on the identities of the two gunmen.
