Quezon farmer shot dead in shooting incident caused by land dispute

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

LUCENA CITY — A 68-year-old farmer was killed while his wife was wounded after they were shot on Monday (Sept. 11) allegedly due to a land dispute in Tiaong town in Quezon province.

The Quezon police, in a report Tuesday, Sept. 12, said Cesar Cortez and his wife Jaina, 69, were cutting grass around 11:30 a.m. inside their lot in Barangay Behia.

Suddenly, Leo Dimaano, 39, a resident of the locality, appeared and, without any provocation, repeatedly shot the couple using an M-16 rifle. The suspect fled after the shooting.

Cesar died on the spot due to fatal gunshot wounds on his head and body.

Jaina, who also suffered gunshot wounds, was taken by their daughter to San Pablo Medical Center in neighboring San Pablo City, Laguna for treatment.

Investigators said Dimaano and his late brother Ruel were former tenants of the victims and had demanded a portion of the land they were tilling.

The issue was brought to the barangay office for settlement. However, Ruel was shot and killed on Oct. 25, 2022 and Cesar was charged as a suspect in the killing, the police said.

The report did not provide further information about the case and why Cesar was out of jail.

The report said “land dispute and personal grudge” was the motive behind the shooting of the Cortes couple.

Police launched a manhunt operation to arrest the assailant.

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