PEÑARANDA, Nueva Ecija — Four people died while three others were wounded after two hooded men ambushed them late Monday, Oct. 9, in the remote Barangay Callos in this town.
In a belated report Thursday, policemen said they were still investigating the incident.
But an initial report identified the fatalities as Melvin Gonsalez, 27; brothers Jay-ar, 37; and Reynaldo Quizon, 38; and Joseph Valdivicio, 38, all of General Tinio town.
In an interview with one of the survivors, he said they were on their way home from picking up dead hogs from a pig farm and were on board three improvised tricycles (locally known as kolong-kolong), when the assailants suddenly appeared and shot them at close range several times.
“We were flagged down and shot when they saw the dead pigs,” the survivor said.
He suffered two gunshot wounds to his right leg and right arm.
A sister of the Quizon brothers said they used to be boatmen in the now-closed Minalungao National Park and had been collecting dead pigs dumped from the piggery for over a month now.
The victims’ families believed the attack could be due to a land conflict. INQ
RELATED STORIES
Ex-provincial board member shot dead in Nueva Ecija
Cop nabbed over killing of town councilor in Nueva Ecija