The Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO) has condemned the fatal shooting of three family members in Murcia town’s Barangay Buenavista while assuring the public that the incident has no connection to the ongoing election period.

“We are condemning this brutal and senseless act. Let me make it clear — this is an isolated case,” NOCPPO chief Colonel Rainerio de Chavez said in a statement on Saturday, May 3.

“The safety and security of our communities remain our top priority, especially during this critical time,” he added.

De Chavez said additional police personnel and investigative support have been deployed to help Murcia police resolve the case and bring the perpetrators to justice.

Both the municipal police and NOCPPO reaffirmed their commitment to exhaust all leads and restore peace and order in the area.

The NOCPPO urged the public to remain calm and cooperative and to report any suspicious activity that may help in the investigation.

An initial police investigation showed the victims — 59-year-old Neldi Celayes, his 60-year-old wife Josephine, and their 33-year-old son Jovi — were shot to death in their house in Sitio Guinam-an, a remote area about 20 kilometers from Murcia proper, around 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 1.

Their bodies, bearing gunshot wounds, were discovered near a well by a local resident.

Recovered from the crime scene were three fired cartridges of caliber .45, one unfired and one fired cartridge of caliber .357, and one slug of caliber .357.

A forensic team was also called in to process the area for evidence.

Investigators are looking into land conflict as a possible motive.

Based on initial interviews with the victims’ families, authorities have already identified several persons of interest./WDJ