DUMAGUETE CITY – A personnel of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) was shot dead in Barangay McKinley, Guihulngan City in northern Negros Oriental close to noontime Friday.
Guihulngan City police chief, Supt. Mario Baquiran, confirmed that the jail guard, identified as JO2 Val Daniel Rivera, was shot by unidentified riding-in-tandem suspects at past 11 a.m.
An initial police report said Rivera, assigned at the Canlaon City District Jail, was rushed to the Guihulngan District Hospital where he was declared dead.
Rivera was on board his motorcycle when the suspects, with covered faces, rode up to him and fired at him several times.
Asked about the possible motive for the killing, Baquiran said police investigators are initially looking into the involvement of some inmates that the jail guard had allegedly maltreated.
“Actually, the investigation is still ongoing. Unang anggulo na tinitingan natin ay yung mga previous assignments niya, gaya dito sa Guihulngan City jail. Pero sa Canlaon City jail na siya na-assign (The first angle we are looking into is his previous assignments, such as at the Guihulngan City jail. But he was assigned later to the Canlaon City jail),” he said.
According to Baquiran, some inmates who had already been released from detention had warned of revenge for the alleged maltreatment they received from Rivera.
“Nag-usap kami ng jail warden (of Guihulngan) at may mga insidente na nag-maltreat daw siya sa mga preso (We talked to the jail warden who said there were incidents when Rivera had allegedly maltreated some inmates), and the information we extracted was that gaganti sila (they will take revenge),” he said.
The police chief also disclosed that investigators are looking into the possible involvement of the New People’s Army (NPA) because the former inmates had warned that they would seek the help of the rebel group. (PNA)
