PEÑARANDA, Nueva Ecija — Four persons were killed while three others were wounded when fired at close range by two hooded men in Barangay Callos here at about 8:45 p.m. Oct. 9.
Police identified the victims as Melvin Gonsalez, 27; brothers Jay-ar, 37, and Reynaldo Quizon, 38, of Sitio Minalungao, Barangay Pias; and Joseph Valdivicio, 38, of Barangay Rio Chico, all of Gen. Tinio town.
One of the survivors given the alias “Al” to protect his identity said they were on their way home from picking up dead hogs in a pig farm on board three improvised tricycles (locally known as kolong-kolong) when the suspects suddenly appeared and started shooting them.
“Pinahinto pa kami, tapos sabi ‘Baboy yan a,’ tapos pinagbabaril na kami,” Al said. He sustained two gunshot wounds in his right leg and one in the right arm.
Al said he fell to the ground when hit while his driver was fatally hit on the chest.
A sister of the Quizon’s said her brothers who used to be boatmen in the now closed Minalungao National Park and their group have been collecting dead pigs dumped from the piggery for over a month now. They sell the meat in their place.
Her family suspects their conflict with someone else over a parcel of land could be behind the attack.
The local police said “investigation is still on going.”
