By Mae Singuay

A minor and two others were hacked and shot to death at Barangay Cabia-an’s Sitio Buyong in Negros Occidental’s Candoni town on Saturday, February 4.

The victims — identified as 45-year-old Edmund Castro, his 10-year-old son, and 44-year-old Analie Emaray — were residents of the town’s Barangay Haba.

Investigation showed that the minor sustained hack wounds on his head and neck, while Emaray sustained a gunshot wound on her upper eyebrow, and Castro had multiple gunshot wounds on his body.

Police Major Ruel Culanag said residents heard gunshots at around 10:30 a.m.

“The motive is a land dispute, and we are yet to identify the assailants, but we have persons of interest,” Culanag said.

He added that the target of the suspects was Castro.

“Pero, naulamid lang ang minor nga bata ni Castro kag si Emaray nga natabuan nga ara sa lugar sang ginhimo sang mga suspetsado ang krimen,” Culanag said.

“Para nga wala sang may makatudlo sang identity sang mga suspetsado, gani ginpatay man ang bata kag si Emaray,” he explained.

The bodies were sent to the rural health unit for autopsy./MS, WDJ