Five Negrenses, including an elusive fugitive and a barangay kagawad, died in shooting, hacking and stabbing incidents, in Negros Occidental, in the past three days, police records show.

Fugitive Bartolome Ragasa, alias Bartol, who is facing a murder charge, died yesterday, after he was shot allegedly by Police Officer 2 Peter Joseph Palma, who had returned fire, when he was shot by the victim at the Sipalay Food Park in Negros Occidental, at about 1 a.m. yesterday.

A civilian identified as Patrocenio Ortiaga , who is detailed as a guard at the new Sipalay City Hall, also died, investigations of the police showed.

Senior Supt. Milko Lirazan, officer-in-charge of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, yesterday said that Palma, accompanied by SPO1 Glen Galilea and PO2 Donald Tapang, responded and investigated gunshots they heard at the Sipalay Food Park.

Although they were told by some people in the area that there was no problem at all, Palma, sensed something wrong, but about to leave, when he was shot, allegedly by Ragasa, Lirazan said.

Palma, who was not hit, returned fire at Ragasa, who was wearing a bonnet and had a .45 caliber pistol, hitting him in the different parts of his body.

Lirazan said he has ordered Palma and SPO1 Glen Galilea and PO2 Donald Tapang, who attended a birthday at the Sipalay Food Park, to immediately report to the NOPPO headquarters, pending investigations of the incident.

Sipalay policemen, who responded to the shooting incident, recovered two .45 caliber pistols with two magazines containing ammunition, and 11 empty shells at the crime scene.

Two days earlier, Kagawad Joseph Arvie Reginio was also shot dead allegedly by his own cousin in Sito Candida, Brgy. Bi-ao, Binalbagan, that was reportedly triggered by old grudges.

Senior Inspector Albert Sy, Binalbagan police chief, yesterday said Reginio succumbed to gunshot wound in the head.

Sy added that the suspect, identified as Vicente Reginio, a cousin of the victim, and who was responsible for designating him as chief barangay tanod, fled immediately.

Jigger Bertucio, 20, was also hacked dead Sunday by an unidentified suspect, who waylaid him, in Sitio Palaypay, Brgy. Quinten Remo,Moises Padilla.

Senior Inspector Robert Mansueto, Moises Padilla police chief, said Bertucio and his companion, a minor, were both waylaid by a suspect, who was wearing a bonnet.

Mansueto said the minor managed to escape and ask for help, while the victim was declared dead on arrival at the Ignacio Arroyo Sr. Memorial District Hospital in Isabela.

An unidentified suspect also stabbed dead a certain Ricky Ronquillo at Azcona Subdivision in Brgy. 1 poblacion, Kabankalan City, police records also showed.

Ronquillo, 33, succumbed to a stab wound in the breast. He was also declared dead on arrival at the Lorenzo Zayco District Hospital in Kabankalan City.* GPB

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