Bounty offered for arrest of Negros bloodbath suspect

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines—Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. on Wednesday announced a P100,000 reward for the immediate capture of a former barangay captain, who went on a shooting spree in Silay City that left four barangay officials, including a 16-year-old Sangguniang Kabataan chair, dead  and three others wounded.

“The reward is available effective today (Wednesday), and will only be available for a week” Maranon said.

The reward would be given to anyone who could provide information that would lead to the arrest of Noel Ayalin, he added.

Ayalin entered the barangay hall of Kapitan Ramon in Silay City when the council session was about to begin and fired shots killing SK chair Imee Occeña and barangay councilors Luzviminda Cotamen, 45, Freddie Juno, 58, and Pedrito Orocio, 52. Barangay Captain Ramon Celebre, Barangay councilors Salvacion Corugda, 42, and Lenny Leorca, 34, sustained serious injuries in the attack.

The police believed that Ayalin was still in Silay. “He is armed and dangerous,” Negros Occidental police director Senior Superintendent Allan Guisihan had said earlier.

Kapitan Ramon residents have expressed fear that Ayalin might return to their barangay and cause further bloodshed.

Ayalin has reportedly been sending threatening text messages to residents of the area, and it is feared that angry relatives of the victims may retaliate against the former barangay captain’s kin.

The police said they have assigned two teams of policemen to secure Kapitan Ramon while Marañon appealed to village residents not to take the law into their hands.