Cops hunt 2 male suspects in brutal Antique slays

By Florence F. Hibionada

An intensive police manhunt is on in the municipality of San Jose, Antique following last week's brutal killing of two Indian nationals.

Subject of the search are two male suspects, both locals in the area believed to be in hiding somewhere in the poblacion and nearby barangays of the crime scene.

The incident occurred in Barangay Atabay, some 1 kilometer away from the town proper in a rented room of a secluded compound.  The suspects left behind a jacket and handkerchief now used by San Jose PNP probers to help establish their identities.  No other details were immediately available with police holding on to the particulars of the two suspects.

And it was apparently a case of mistaken identity, ensuing investigation further disclosed, with the hapless victims on the wrong place at the wrong time.

The regular occupants of the rented room happened to be out when the culprits barged in armed with kitchen knives and tear gas.  A struggle occurred and in minutes, the victims— Marjinder Singh and Wirdavender Singh—fell bloodied on the floor with multiple stab wounds.  One other Indian national Jagdip Singh was fortunate enough to have been spared with him inside the bathroom when the killings happened.

The yet to be identified suspects were said to be “clients” of the Indian nationals who were renting the room and have been in San Jose for some three years now.  They are known in the area for their money-lending business.

Reports from Antique also bare that the Indian nationals who were the original targets of the suspects will leave San Jose.  The atmosphere of late has been described as tense and laden with fear with said killings the first ever to hit the town.