BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — Two men were killed in separate shooting incidents in Negros Occidental on Sunday, August 23, with the attacks occurring just hours apart in the municipalities of Calatrava and Manapla, police said.
The two killings remain under separate investigations, and authorities have yet to establish whether the incidents were connected. No suspects have been arrested, while police continue efforts to determine the identities of the gunmen and the motives behind the attacks.
50-year-old man gunned down in Calatrava
The first shooting happened at around 9:45 a.m. in Sitio Panggiasgiasan, Barangay Lalong, Calatrava.
Police identified the victim only as alias “Jundy,” a 50-year-old married resident of the barangay.
According to the initial investigation, Jundy was traveling toward Barangay Bago to attend market day when three unidentified men allegedly approached and shot him several times.
He sustained multiple gunshot wounds and died at the scene. His body was later brought to the Calatrava Municipal Hospital for medico-legal examination.
A separate report said police, barangay officials and community trackers assisted in the search for the suspects, particularly because of the area’s difficult terrain and limited accessibility.
57-year-old man shot while driving in Manapla
About two hours later, another shooting was reported in Barangay I-A, Manapla.
The victim, identified by police as alias “Mau,” 57, was reportedly driving home when an unidentified gunman opened fire near the rear portion of a convenience store.
Police said the suspect was wearing pants, a black jacket and a bonnet and used a firearm of undetermined caliber.
Despite sustaining gunshot wounds, including injuries to the head and neck, Mau was reportedly still able to accelerate and maneuver his vehicle for roughly 30 meters before turning right and eventually stopping in the middle of the road.
Responders from the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office rushed him to Dr. Ramon B. Gustilo Hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival. Police recovered five fired cartridge cases and a deformed bullet from the area.
A separate report by Tempo identified the Manapla victim as a former overseas Filipino worker and said he was inside his vehicle during a fiesta in Barangay 1-A. That report also said his wife was in the passenger seat and was unharmed. Police were investigating a possible personal motive but had not publicly established it as fact.
Police probe motives, possible connection
Authorities have not established a connection between the two shootings, and no confirmed motive has been publicly disclosed for the Calatrava killing.
Police investigations remain ongoing as authorities work to identify and locate the perpetrators.
The back-to-back killings have drawn attention because both incidents occurred in the same municipality-wide area within only a few hours of each other. However, investigators have not said that the timing alone indicates that the shootings were related.
For now, authorities are treating the Calatrava and Manapla shootings as separate cases while evidence and witness information are being gathered.
This story will be updated as police release verified information about the suspects, motive and possible developments in the investigation.
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