BACOLOD CITY – Murder charges were filed Thursday against four persons, including a former police officer, for the killing of a barangay captain in Dauin, Negros Oriental Wednesday.
Police Capt. Louie Batuto, Dauin town police chief, said the suspects, whose names were withheld by police for further investigation, came from Mindanao.
They were arrested in a police checkpoint in Vallerhermoso, Negros Oriental, hours after the murder of Barangay Bagacay Chairman Stephen Alam, who was inside the barangay hall when the incident happened.
Batuto said that one of the suspects was a dismissed policeman.
He said the suspects might be members of gun-for-hire, adding that they just went to the province to execute the crime.
He said the crime was well-planned as the suspects rented a car as their get-away vehicle.
One of the suspects was wounded when he hit himself while he was grappling a gun with the barangay secretary, who witnessed the incident, Batuto said.
The wounded suspect suffered serious injuries and was brought to a hospital, while the three others are detained at Dauin Municipal Police Station.
Batuto said they could not still establish the motive, as the suspects still refused to talk about the incident.
He said the village chief had no threats prior to the killing, and had been active in the community as a barangay official.