3 farmers killed while harvesting fruits in Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

KAUSWAGAN, Lanao del Norte — The Philippine National Police (PNP) in this town are asking locals to provide information if they know anything about the killing of three farmers in the hinterland village of Inudaran on Tuesday afternoon.

Based on a police report, the incident happened at around 12:30 p.m., citing the account of a minor who witnessed the killing.

The police identified the victims as a certain Undo Alfante, caretaker of a piece of land which is planted with, among others, ‘marang’ or ‘madang’ fruit; and the Maglangit brothers Mike, 37, and Mark, 40.

Alfante was said to be supervising the harvesting of ‘marang’ when two unidentified assailants came and started shooting.

Alfante sustained a gunshot wound in the head, resulting in his immediate death, the police report said.

READ: Quezon farmer shot dead in shooting incident caused by land dispute

Police found the brothers Mike and Mark, bathed with their own blood, some 300 meters from where Alfante lay dead.

Police Captain Jessan Gomez of the Kauswagan police station said two cartridge cases for M16 rifle and another two for M14 rifle were recovered by investigators from the crime scene.

Gomez said they are looking into two posible motives of the attack; one is land dispute, and another is a sabotage attack on non-Muslim civilians by the terrorist group Dawlah Islamiya.

JPV