Cops ID suspects, start manhunt

PALO, LEYTE, Philippines  — The police have already identified the perpetrators of the September 15 massacre of five members of the Regalacion family in Calbayog City on Tuesday and have started a manhunt, while investigation of the incident is still going on to this day.

Police Regional Office-8 Regional Director, Chief Superintendent Asher Dolina, however did not provide the names of the suspects but said his office had already filed yesterday at the Calbayog court murder cases against them.

Dolina said the suspects Tuesday morning strafed with M16 armalite rifles the Regalacion house at the hinterland Barangay Victory in Calbayog, resulting in the deaths of five and the wounding of two.

Killed were Sonny Regalacion, 48, his wife Adela, 48, their two daughters Princess Joy, 5, and Angela Mae, 2, and his sister Christina, 26. The wounded were their neighbors Wendy Maglayo and Marlyn Nayangga, who are now confined at the Saint Camillus Hospital in that city.

Dolina said investigators are now looking at revenge or retaliation, as possible motive of the attack, considering that Sonny’s son Marlo was allegedly one of the suspects in last July 15 shooting incident at Barangay Langoyon, also in Calbayog, which killed two and wounded two others.

Investigators have been looking also into politically motive angle because Sonny was reportedly one of the leaders of prominent politicians in Calbayog City and Samar province, Dolina added.

The police said the killings in Calbayog have been going on unabated and remained unsolved to this day. For the past 11 months, from November last year to September this year, a total of 86 people were killed, some of whom were barangay officials and political leaders in the city.

 (FREEMAN)