By CESAR JOLITO III

A series of stabbing, hacking and shooting incidents were recorded in several parts of Negros Occidental from Wednesday, December 31, 2025 to the early hours of Thursday, January 1, 2026, leaving at least three people dead and several others injured.

In Bago City, a 53-year-old man was stabbed inside his own home in Barangay Ma-ao’s Purok Paho at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

Police said the suspects — three male residents of the same barangay — had been drinking prior to the incident.

An argument escalated after stones were allegedly thrown at the victim’s house. One of the suspects reportedly forced his way inside and stabbed the victim in the lower abdomen. The victim was rushed to Bago City Hospital and later transferred to Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital. Authorities said hot pursuit operations are ongoing against the fleeing suspects.

In Moises Padilla, a hacking incident was reported at 1:50 a.m. on January 1 in Barangay Guinpanaan. A 35-year-old male suspect was arrested after allegedly hacking his live-in partner multiple times following a heated argument along the road. Police said both parties had attended a drinking session prior to the incident. The victim sustained multiple hack wounds to the head and arm and was referred to Isabela District Hospital, while the suspect, who also suffered minor injuries, remains in police custody.

Meanwhile, Cauayan town recorded two separate fatal shooting incidents on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

The first occurred at around 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday in Barangay Baclao, where an 18-year-old male student was shot multiple times by still-unidentified assailants. The victim was pronounced dead on arrival at a local hospital. Police said the victim had just returned from running an errand on a motorcycle when he was ambushed along an ascending portion of the road.

Meanwhile, at 2:40 a.m. on Thursday in Barangay Isio, a 30-year-old laborer was shot and killed following a confrontation involving a prior misunderstanding between the suspect and the victim’s nephew. Investigators said the suspect returned to the area after issuing threats and opened fire after being hacked with a bladed weapon during the confrontation. The victim was declared dead on arrival at the hospital. The suspect, who was injured, was disarmed by the victim’s brother and later brought to the hospital under police custody. A .45 caliber firearm, live ammunition and spent shells were recovered at the scene.

In Candoni, another stabbing incident was reported shortly after midnight on January 1 at the public plaza of Barangay Agboy. Police said a heated argument erupted during a gathering involving a motorcycle open-pipe contest. The suspect allegedly stabbed the victim in the lower abdomen before fleeing. The victim was initially treated at the Candoni Rural Health Unit and later transferred to a district hospital in Kabankalan City./CJ, WDJ