GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews / 28 May)—Police authorities are hot on the trail of those behind the killing of four farmers and wounding of another in Tantangan town, South Cotabato, on Sunday evening.
Major Erika Vallejo, Tantangan police chief, explains to her superiors the killing of the four farmers in her municipality during a conference at the South Cotabato Provincial Police Office in Koronadal City on Monday (27 May 2024). Photo courtesy of PRO12-PIO
This after Lita Yuarata, the mother of one of those killed, told police that her son Jerry could be the main target of the assailants who sprayed the victims with bullets.
Yuarata said over Bombo Radyo Koronadal that her son Jerry, 49, was fatally shot on the head. Jerry had been receiving death threats, her mother said.
On Sunday evening, the victims were huddled around a table, sharing jokes while having some drinks, when bursts of gunfire drowned the celebratory mood of the blessing of the house owned by Jerry’s elder brother Marlon, said Yuarata.
When the smoke of gunfire cleared, four dead bodies lay sprawled on the ground. Police investigators found 37 empty shells of 5.56mm bullets from the crime scene.
Major Erika Vallejo, Tantangan police chief, told local media that aside from Jerry, the other victims were identified Ronald Vallespin, Argie Villorente, and Marcelo Combiz, all cousins of Jerry.
Another cousin—Freddie Reyes, 47—was wounded in the strafing incident.
He, however, managed to crawl and hide behind a wall, police said.
Jerry’s mother called on the suspects to “better surrender, we already know who you are.
You even sought help from my son, even borrowed money from him when you were in need.
”
She told police that her son “Jerry had revealed everything to her” about some people in their place who were out to get him in connection with an incident that implicated his son.
The incident was planned, Yuarata said, as she suspects someone from among their guests informed the gunmen about his son’s presence in the house blessing.
Jerry used to be an overseas Filipino worker and decided to come home and venture into farming with his earnings from being an OFW. He was president of their irrigation association. (Rommel Rebollido / MindaNews)
