Farmer Killed, Son Wounded in Leyte Motorcycle Ambush

A 40-year-old farmer was killed and his 17-year-old son wounded after unidentified motorcycle-riding gunmen ambushed them in Barangay Balao, Burauen, Leyte, just before midnight on Friday, July 10. The fatality, identified only by the alias “Rico,” a resident of Barangay Paghudlan, Burauen, sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was declared dead at the scene. His son, “Yanyan,” 17, suffered gunshot wounds to his left leg and left palm and was rushed by relatives to the Burauen District Hospital for treatment. According to the Burauen Municipal Police Station, the attack occurred at around 11:55 p.m. while the victims were traveling home to Barangay Paghudlan from Barangay Balao. Initial police investigation showed that two unidentified suspects on a motorcycle approached the victims from behind and opened fire. Both suspects were reportedly wearing black helmets and black jackets before fleeing toward the town proper of Burauen, about 45 kilometers from Tacloban City. Police said they received a report of the shooting from a resident of Barangay San Jose West, prompting responding officers to proceed to the scene, where they found the elder victim already dead. Authorities have launched a hot pursuit operation and coordinated with police stations in neighboring municipalities to conduct dragnet operations to identify and arrest the gunmen. The Scene of the Crime Operatives processed the crime scene and collected evidence. Police have yet to establish the motive behind the attack as the investigation continues.