4 farmers dead; 1 hurt after security guards fired shots in sugarcane plantation

CEBU CITY-—Five security guards were facing criminal charges for killing four sugarcane farmers, including two elderly, and wounding another on Wednesday morning at Sitio Bondo, Barangay Napacao, Siaton town, Negros Oriental, about 56 km from the city of Dumaguete, 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.

They 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 owned by Gaspar Vicente, about 200 meters from the national road in Barangay Napacao, Siaton.

The suspects belonged to Nico Security Agency that was tapped by the owner 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 they were resting and shot them several times.

One of the suspects then threw a hand grenade.

The suspects fled but were caught two hours later in Barangay Napacao during a hot pursuit operation by the police. ###