Four Negros Oriental farmers were shot dead last Wednesday, while another was wounded, following a shooting incident in, what authorities believe, was caused by a land conflict.

Police identified the fatalities as 34-year-old Jessebel Amantillo Abayle, 57-year-old Carmelina Garingo Amantillo, and 66-year-old Consolacion Esparcia Cadevida of Sitio Bondo, Barangay Napacao in Siaton; along with 66-year-old Felimon Torres Molero of Sitio Salngan, Barangay Mayabon in Zamboanguita.

The injured farmer was identified as 28-year-old Lito Prudencia de Jesus of Barangay Mantiquil in Siaton, who was brought to a hospital in Dumaguete City.

Siaton municipal police chief, Police Inspector Rafael Serion, said the farmers were shot while harvesting sugarcane at a sugarcane plantation that is reportedly pending coverage by the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) in Barangay Napacao.

Investigators said the incident was perpetrated by security guards of an estate owned by a certain Don Gaspar Vicente.

The victims all died after they were shot at close range.

Responding police immediately arrested five suspects.

Authorities identified the suspects as 29-year-old Roswil Cero Antanoy of Barangay Cabang, Jimalalud; 41-year-old Edilberto Torres Pancho of Barangay San Jose, Tanjay City; 36-year-old Reynante Baylon Rubia of Barangay Maluay, Zamboanguita; 24-year-old Nelcher Abril Abordo of Barangay Malabuhan, Siaton; and 31-year-old Jason Torres Ramos of Sitio Bondo, Barangay Napacao, all in Negros Oriental.

Serion said the suspects claimed to be security guards of the Nico Security Agency and  were assigned at the said estate.

They are also believed to be members of the “Pulahan Group,” a religious revival cult group; however, the suspects all denied the claims.

An initial police investigation showed, around 8:00 a.m. yesterday, the casualties, alongside five others, were resting under a tree when they were suddenly under fire by the suspects.

A hand grenade was also lobbed at them, which exploded, Serion added.

According to witnesses, the guards allegedly shot Abayle point blank with the use of a caliber .45 pistol.

The wounded were brought to the Siaton District Hospital for treatment, while Prudencia de Jesus was transferred to Dumaguete City.

Farmers claimed the area where they were harvesting is pending CARP inclusion, but admitted the land is registered under Vicente.

They claimed ownership rights to the sugarcane by indicating they were the ones who originally planted the crop.

Recovered from the suspects were four shotguns, 41 rounds of ammunition for a 12-gauge shotgun, one magazine for 9mm pistol containing 23 rounds of ammunition, one spent shell from the aforementioned caliber .45 gun, a round of live ammunition for a caliber .38 revolver, and shrapnel and parts of an exploded hand grenade.

The suspects claimed the firearms were licensed and issued to them by the Nico Security Agency.

The suspects were subjected to paraffin tests to determine whether they opened fire during the commotion./DGB, WDJ