Leader of farmer’s group shot dead in Toboso
BACOLOD CITY — A 39- year old leader of a farmer’s group affiliated with the National Federation of Sugarcarne Workers (NFSW) was gunned down last Sunday around 6 a.m. by three unidentified armed men inside their house in Purok Dalia, Barangay Bug-an, Municipality of Toboso, Negros Occidental.
The victim was identified as Reynaldo Bucaling, chairman of the Paghidaet sa Kalambuon sa Kambayog an affiliated member of NFSW.
Karapatan-Negros Leader Fred Caña condemned the brutal killing of said victim and issued an allegation that the Revolutionary Proletarian Army (RPA) was responsible for this incident.
PO3 Alex Taganile, PNP Toboso investigator, said that Bucaling was killed in the presence of his wife after the three suspects asked for coffee to drink. Taganile said that the victim sustained four gunshot wounds on his right breast.
Taganile cannot ascertain if indeed the three belongs to the RPA group. Police investigator said that no provocation was established from the armed men who were wearing bonnet when the crime took place.
Members of the Philippine Army who responded to the shooting incident ahead of police investigators endorsed seven empty shells of an M-16 armalite rifle to Toboso PNP.
Caña entertained some angles that land and labor dispute might triggered the shooting of the victim.
Meanwhile, Toboso Police Chief Senior Inspector Nestor Tuadles encouraged witnesses and even Karapatan Negros who have knowledge of the shooting to coordinate with them in order to unmask the identities of the gunmen.