By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD City – Four men, including a former police officer, are facing murder charges for the death of a barangay captain in Dauin, Negros Oriental last Wednesday.
Police Captain Louie Batuto, town police chief said the murder complaint was filed Thursday, a day after the suspects were arrested in a police checkpoint in Vallehermoso town hours after the killing of Barangay Bagacay chairman Stephen Alam inside the barangay hall.
Batuto said one of the suspects was a policeman who was already dismissed from the service.
The suspects, whose names are still withheld by the police because of the ongoing investigation, came from Mindanao, according to Batuto.
Batuto said the suspects might be members of a gun-for-hire group, and probably traveled to the province just to execute the crime.
“Well-planned kasi nag rent pa sila ng sasakyan pagdating dito (Negros Oriental), baka target talaga siya (Alam),” he added.
Batuto said that when they intercepted the suspects on board a Mitsubishi Adventure, one of them was wounded by his own gun when he grappled with the barangay secretary who witnessed the incident.
“Dalawa lang kasi sila at that time ni kapitan sa barangay hall, nung may narinig siyang putok, tiningnan niya sa opisina, at nakita niya iyong isang gunman, kaya ni wrestling niya, nakipag agawan at natamaan ng suspect ang sarili niya,” he added.
The wounded suspect suffered serious injuries and was taken to a hospital, while the three others are detained at Dauin Municipal Police Station.
Batuto said they could not still establish the motive, as the suspects refused to speak.
“Hintayin na lang daw ang lawyer nila,” he added.
Batuto said the village chief had no threats prior to the killing.
“Mabait naman siya, kung sa negosyo, parang may tubuhan (sugarcane farm) daw siya,” he added.
