Family killed in attack inside their house in Matalam town

KIDAPAWAN CITY (MindaNews) — An elderly couple and their 43-year old daughter were killed while two others were injured when unidentified gunmen peppered them bullets inside their house in Poblacion, Matalam at around 7 p.m., on Saturday.

Major Bryan Placer, chief of the Matalam Police, identified the slain victims as Jose Getalla and his wife, Ernesta, both 70; and daughter Lorena, 43, all residents of Purok Sampaguita in Barangay Poblacion.

Wounded were the couple’s grandson Daryl and his aunt Emelita, both surnamed Getalla.

Placer said the victims were asleep when attacked by the gunmen.

Jose and Ernesta died on the spot due to multiple gunshot wounds while Lorena expired while being treated in a hospital in Matalam town.

Daryl and Emelita sustained only minor wounds, reports said.

Placer hinted the suspects’ primary target was Daryl. allegedly because of his involvement in drug trafficking.

He said the four suspects, all on board two motorcycles, had started to tail Daryl from Kidapawan City until he reached his home in Poblacion.

Sensing an impending attack on his life, Daryl told his grandparents and mother Lorena to transfer to his room, while he slept in another room with his live-in partner who was not identified in the report. Daryl’s aunt Emelita

was also inside the house when the shooting incident happened.

At around 7 p.m. on Saturday, when everyone was asleep, the gunmen forcibly entered the house and started shooting the room where they believed Daryl was sleeping, according to Placer.

The suspects immediately left the house after sensing everyone was dead, he added.

Placer said they are still investigating who could be the perpetrators behind the attack on the Getalla family.