Farmer shot dead on bended knees

PALANAN, Isabela – A farmer was found dead on bended knees with a bullet wound in the head in an irrigation canal in Sitio Kalaw, Purok 4, Barangay Bisag, here, last Friday.

The Police Regional Office 2 identified the victim as Ariel Morales Chavez, 35.

Police are hunting down the suspect, a certain Bernard Salasar Bernardo, 38, also a farmer, of Dicabisagan West, Palanan.

The wife of the victim almost collapsed when she saw her husband dead in kneeling position.

“Maaring nagmakaawa pa ang biktima sa suspect at nasa ganoong posisyon siya,” a resident said.

Probers said Barangay Chairwoman Asuncion Curitana of Barangay Bisag informed the police of the shooting incident at about 9:30 a.m. last Friday.

The victim’s wife, Jona, claimed that her husband le their house at about 8 p.m. last July 2 to irrigate their farmland in the barangay. Since then, the victim failed to go home until the wife was informed that her husband was found dead at the source of water supply located at the farm.

Meanwhile, a fisherman died a er lightning hit him at the sea off Barangay Pandan, Real, Quezon last Friday.

Members of the Philippine Coast Guard found the body of Rolando Dayunot, 60, a resident of Purok Ilang-Ilang A, Barangay Poblacion Uno, Real, at about 9:30 a.m.

The Real Municipal Police Station was informed by the PCG based in Barangay Ungos that the victim was brought by the rescue team to the C.M. Recto District Hospital in Infanta, Quezon.

The victim died due to burns on his body caused by lightning strike, probers said.

Initial investigation showed that the victim was fishing at the sea when lightning struck him.