LA CARLOTA CITY, Neg. Occ. - Police investigators are looking into the possibility that the recent ambush staged by a group of unidentified armed men in Bais City, Oriental Negros, that caused the death of four persons and injuries to three others had been perpetrated by a "vigilante group", or triggered by a "personal vendetta".

Senior Supt. Ramon Melvin Buenafe, Oriental Negros police director, yesterday said this is because claims have surfaced that it was done by a vigilante group, although anonymous. Anybody can send letters claiming to be vigilantes, Buenafe who attended the 35th founding anniversary of the 11th Infantry Battalion here, said.

Unidentified gunmen peppered a traveling L200 van with bullets, killing instantly four passengers identified as Conrado de los Santos, Alice Cadiz, Le Duranggo and Zuelo Bacay, and injuring Raton Cadiz, Eve Bacay and Emee Lecciones, on Nov. 21, in Barangay Binohon, Bais City, Oriental Negros.

Police investigations showed that the victims were on board the red van bound for Manjuyod town, when they were ambushed by a group of unidentified men with high-powered firearms.

Buenafe said the group of Duranggo has been tagged as suspects in a robbery case in Dumaguete.

"The people in Oriental Negros are angry with criminals, that's why there are killings of criminal elements," he added.

Police records also indicated that Durango has a pending case involving another heist in Bais several years ago, where the lead investigator was the late SPO 1 Richard Teves. Teves was shot dead last month in Barangay Binohon in Bais City, on approximately the same spot.

Responding police investigators of Bais City recovered empty shells of M16 assault rifles and .45 caliber pistol from the crime scene.*GPB

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