Ajuy land conflict claims life
A shooting episode arising from a land conflict claimed the life of a man and injured another in Brgy. Pedada, Ajuy, Iloilo recently.
Police identified the fatality as Benie Canja, a native of Calinog, Iloilo.
Canja reportedly worked for the Balayo family who now occupies the disputed 70-hectare land.
Ajuy Police Station chief, Senior Insp. Ariel Artillero, said the slain man was wanted for a homicide charge.
While Canja was killed, Jay Barabona, a resident of the said place, survived with a gunshot wound on his leg.
Artillero said the incident happened at around 8:40 p.m. last Sunday.
Barabona allegedly asked for police assistance after he was allegedly shot.
“When we (arrived) at the area, we saw the wounded Barabona and Canja’s body,” Artillero said.
During the investigation, witnesses claimed they heard a gunfire and
then checked its origin. They allegedly saw that a group of men was taking turns in mauling the victim.
“So we presumed that the first gunfire hit Canja but he managed to return fire and injured Barabona,” Artillero said.
A caliber 9mm pistol was found near Canja’s body.
Artillero said they could not still get a clearer picture of what happened but witnesses positively pointed to Barabona as the one who shot the victim.
Witnesses also named Barabona’s brother, Josue, as another suspect, along with four John Does.
Barabona was brought to Western Visayas Medical Center in Iloilo City for treatment but he later asked to be released claiming security reasons.
Artillero said that they have yet to know Barabona’s whereabouts.
He said they did not arrest any suspect because they have no first-hand knowledge about what really happened during the incident.
A paraffin test was conducted on Monday on other persons who were in the area.
Meanwhile, Artillero ruled that the incident stemmed from a land conflict.
While the Balayo family occupied the land, the Barabona family filed a civil case before the Regional Trial Court Branch 66 in Barotac Viejo town claiming ownership of the said property.
