5 tagged in Apayao farmers' deaths

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -  Five suspects tagged in the grisly killing of two farmers in Flora town in Apayao were arrested by policemen on Thursday.

Cordillera Police Director Chief Supt. Benjamin Magalong said Oliver Aligan, 21; Felix Dagdagan Jr., 22;  Marcelino Dagdagan,42;  Emerson Dagdagan, 35; and  George Palacay,  all farmers and residents of Brgy. San Jose, Flora, Apayao were rounded up by policemen after two eye witnesses confessed to seeing how the five maimed the victims and set them on fire.

Emerson Furagganan and Reynante Menor, both farmers and villagemates of the five suspected went missing on July 3 and were found decapitated and charred on a shallow grave 12 days after.

Reportedly, the victims and suspects were drinking liquor at a nipa hut in the village and at the height of their drinking spree, Furagganan (victim) and Marcelino Dagdagan (one of the suspects) had a misunderstanding that provoked Marcelino to hack Furagganan.

The suspects brought the body of the victim to the grassland nearby where they also killed Menor.  

Magalong said, one witness told them that he saw how the suspects maimed the victims while they threatened him that they would do the same to him if he will report to anyone.