CALAMBA CITY, Laguna -- Police here have tagged the errand boy of a police official as the man who, in a shooting spree, killed eight persons, including four children, and wounded six others between late Sunday and early Monday in a remote village here.

Police are now conducting an assault on the location of suspect Abe Defiesta, said to be an errand boy of a certain Senior Police Officer 4 Florencio Feria.

Police are eyeing the angle of a personal grudge as the suspect’s motive for the strafing the homes of the victims.

An initial investigation showed that the gunman went amok and began a shooting spree in Barangay (village) Urnalan in Calamba shortly after midnight, said Chief Superintendent Ricardo Padilla, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) police director.

Senior Superintendent Felipe Rojas, Laguna police director, said the massacre occurred between 11 p.m. Sunday and 12:15 a.m. Monday.

Reports also said that a former member of the Philippine Constabulary was behind the shooting.

Padilla said the suspect fired at four houses and even shot dogs and cows in the area. Police believe the gunman used an M16 rifle.

A cousin of Maria Balisong, one of the victims, identified only as Perlita, said that before the incident, they were all happily gathered at the victim’s house around 6 p.m. Sunday, but there was no indication that something wrong would happen in the following hours.

Perlita said the victims were farmers and peace-loving residents.

"We believe it was done by one person alone," said Padilla.

The fatalities were identified as Dennis Balisong, 29; Gladys Balisong, 7; Gladyn Balisong, 7; Gerry Salad, 49; Gloria Pili, 39; Mary Jane Pili, 12; Sarah Pili, 9; and Julian Pili, 4, according to reports reaching Camp Crame.

Aside from Maria Balisong, 31, the others injured were identified as Denmark Balisong, 5; Aurelio Abanilla, 52; Vicente Redondo, 42; Cherry May Pili, 17; and Erika Pili, 8, said the report.