Although the campaign against indiscriminate firing during New Year's eve revelries in Negros Occidental seems to have succeeded, shooting and stabbing incidents, that claimed the lives of two civilians and caused injuries to eight, marred the celebrations.

Senior Supt. Milko Lirazan, provincial police director, said yesterday that they have not received any reports of indiscriminate firing, either by lawmen or civilians, and of stray bullet incidents, as of the time of this report.

Col. Jon Aying, 303 rd Infantry Brigade commander, also reported no indiscriminate firing in areas where various Philippine Army units are operating.

Police records, however, showed that Rene Boy Pedro, 35, and Rene Tresfuentes,41, succumbed to gunshot wounds, when they were shot shortly before and after the New Year's eve celebrations in Talisay City and Binalbagan, Negros Occidental, respectively.

BINALBAGAN KILLING

Pedro and his two younger brothers, Marlon and Ryan, were on their way to visit relatives in Purok Tibak, Brgy. Santol, Binalbagan, when unidentified suspects fired at them on Jan. 1, police investigations showed.

Rene Boy died upon reaching the Santol barangay proper while being evacuated to the nearest hospital in Binalbagan, from the multiple gunshot wounds he sustained. Marlon suffered a gunshot wound on his left knee.

The shooting incident is being investigated by the Binalbagan police.

KILLING IN TALISAY

Meanwhile, the suspect in the killing of Tresfuentes on Dec. 31 in Brgy. Matab-ang, Talisay City, was identified by the police as Margarito de la Cruz, who was later arrested, three hours after the shooting.

In his report to Lirazan, Chief Inspector Joresty Coronica, Talisay police chief, said the arrest of de la Cruz, who is now in jail, yielded a homemade .38 caliber revolver with two live ammunition.

SHOOTING IN HIMAMAYLAN

Suspect Joebert Saranillo,alias Estoy, who used an improvised shotgun, also shot Jerry Goza, Antonio Pissaro and Mario Molo in Purok Crusher, Himamaylan City, police records also show.

Drunkeness was blamed for shooting of the three victims, who survived the attempt on their lives.

SILAY WOUNDINGS

Old grudges triggered the shooting of Ariel Araneta,36, and Alejandro Prangalan on Tuesday at the public market of Silay City.

However, the suspects, identified as Sammy Aguirre,52, and his son, Alson,24, of Brgy. Rizal, Silay City, managed to escape, police records also show.

Prangalan sustained gunshot wounds in both feet, while Araneta was hit in the abdomen.

STABBING IN MOISES PADILLA

The next day, a certain Carlo Salcedo,18, was stabbed on the breast allegedly by Joel Bernardez, who fled immediately, in Brgy. Inolingan, Moises Padilla, police said.

Salcedo is now being treated at the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital in Bacolod City.

LA CASTELLANA, TOO

The police also arrested a certain Janet Malunes for allegedly stabbing Rene Valdez in the chest in La Castellana on Dec. 31. Malunes is now detained at the La Castellana police jail, while Valdez was brought to a hospital in Bacolod City.*GPB

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