2 law firm workers ‘executed’

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — Two law firm workers were believed to have been summarily executed and left to die late evening of Sunday (August 21) at Cabatuan town in Iloilo.

Police identified the victims as Jonathan Peñafiel, 33, from Mandurriao district of Iloilo City, and Michael Malones, 29, from Barangay Magdalo in La Paz, Iloilo City.

Around 10:30 p.m., residents of Barangay Tiring claimed to have heard bursts of gunfire coming from a dark portion along the bypass road. No one went to the area to check but someone called the police to inform them about the suspicious sound, which appeared to have been coming from a fired gun.

Senior Inspector Sullen Domingo, Cabatuan police chief, said they arrived at the crime scene and brought the victims to the nearby Ramon Tabiana Memorial District Hospital, where the two were however declared dead on arrival. Members of the SOCO team also recovered assorted medicines and bills in different denominations.

Domingo said Peñafiel reportedly worked as secretary for a certain Atty. Aloba, while Malones was secretary and driver of a certain Atty. Paid. Police investigations are still going on to identify the killers and the motive. (FREEMAN)