By CESAR JOLITO III

A 67-year-old farmer was repeatedly hacked to death by a neighbor at Barangay San Rafael in Negros Occidental’s Hinoba-an town on Thursday afternoon, December 4.

Hinoba-an police said the incident occurred at around 2:50 p.m. while the victim was inside his home.

Investigators said the suspect, identified only as 41-year-old alias “Ray,” allegedly passed by the residence and, without provocation, suddenly attacked the victim.

The suspect reportedly struck the elderly farmer on the head, right chest and both arms.

Police believe the suspect was intoxicated during the assault.

Responding officers and barangay residents immediately chased and arrested the suspect after a concerned citizen called authorities around 3:00 p.m.

The victim was rushed to Eleuterio Decena Memorial Hospital in Barangay Bacuyangan, but he was declared dead on arrival by the attending physician.

His remains are undergoing post-mortem examination.

The suspect is currently in police custody.

Authorities continue to look into the motive behind the brutal attack./CJ, WDJ