CEBU CITY-Five security guards are facing criminal charges for killing four sugarcane farmers and wounding another on Wednesday in Siaton town, Negros Oriental.
Complaints for multiple murder and frustrated murder were filed at the prosecutor’s office on Thursday afternoon against Roswil Antanoy, 29; Edilberto Pancho, 41; Reynante Rubia, 36; Nelcher Abordo, 27; and Jason Ramos, 31.
They were detained at the police station of Siaton pending resolution of the complaint against them.
The five were accused of killing farmers Jessebel Abayle, 34; Carmelina Amantillo, 57; Consolacion Cadevida, 66; and Felimon Molero, 66.
Another farmer, Lito Prudencia de Jesus, 28, was wounded and was recuperating at the hospital.
In a phone interview, PO3 Euberto Kinkito Jr. of Siaton Police, said personal grudge appeared to be the motive in the shooting.
The farmers worked in a sugarcane farm, about 200 meters from the national road in Sitio Bondo, Barangay Napacao, Siaton.
The suspects belonged to Nico Security Agency that was tapped by farm owner Gaspar Vicente to guard his farm.
But the farmers caught the ire of the security guards because they would report to the owner any infraction committed by the guards, said Kinkito.
Police investigation showed that the suspects went to the tent where the farmers were resting and shot them several times.
One of the suspects then threw a hand grenade at the victims.
The suspects fled but were caught two hours later in Napacao during a hot pursuit operation by the police.