KIANGAN, Ifugao – A 38-year old farmer died after he was repeatedly shot by a lone gunman in the forested area of sitio Indalmugan, barangay Julongan here at around 7:10 am Thursday.
Superintendent Cherry Fajardo, public information officer of the Police Regional Office (PRO) in the Cordillera, identified the fatality as Celso Binnaliw Bulayo, 38, farmer, married and a resident of Duit, Kiangan, Ifugao.
Initial police investigation showed that at around 6 am Thursday, the victim, together with his two companions, Germain Guimbongan and Jonathan Dulnuan, went to the forest to get firewood.
Minutes later, Guimbongan received a call from his friend informing him that a certain Arsenio Humiwat, Jr. was proceeding towards the forest where they were located for still unknown reasons.
Upon learing of the same, the victim reportedly decided to part ways with his friends and was able to met Mr. Humiwat on the way.
At this juncture, the victim’s companions heard several gunshots emanating from where he went.
When they proceeded to the area where the gunshots came from, they were surprised to see the victim lying on the ground with blood oozing from his head.
The victim sustained seven gunshot wounds on the different parts of his body that caused his instantaneous death.
Responding police operatives and elements of the Scene of the Crime Operation (SOCO) team processed the crime scene and were able to recover spent shells of a still undetermined type of firearm used by the suspect in the perpetration of the crime.
Probers launched a massive manhunt operation against the suspect who immediately fled from the crime scene.