Correction (October 17, 2026): Earlier reports from initial police statements indicated three dead and one wounded, later revised by the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (NOrPPO) to two dead and two wounded. The Police Regional Office Negros Island Region (PRO-NIR) has since issued a corrected account: one fatality, one wounded, one missing, and one unharmed. This article reflects the PRO-NIR release.
SANTA CATALINA, Negros Oriental — A pre-dawn shooting in a remote upland sitio of Santa Catalina has left one man dead and another still unaccounted for, with two suspects now in custody following arrest operations on October 16, the Police Regional Office Negros Island Region (PRO-NIR) announced.
PRO-NIR said the incident occurred at around 3 a.m. in Sitio Cang-alaw, Barangay Buenavista. Four men were present at the time. One was fatally shot, one sustained a gunshot wound, one fled uninjured, and one remains missing.
Conflicting Early Reports
The official tally changed multiple times in the hours after the shooting. An initial Santa Catalina police report cited by several outlets listed three dead and one wounded. NOrPPO subsequently revised that figure to two killed and two wounded. The PRO-NIR release, the most recent official account, confirms a single fatality and notes that the status and whereabouts of the missing victim have yet to be determined.
How the Scene Was Found
Santa Catalina police received the report at approximately 5:30 a.m. and coordinated with the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office for emergency assistance and with barangay officials before proceeding to the area on foot, according to PRO-NIR.
While en route, responding officers learned that the wounded victim had already been transported to Bayawan District Hospital.
At the scene, police recovered the body of a 59-year-old man from Barangay Talalak, Santa Catalina, who had sustained a gunshot wound to the head. Crime scene examiners collected two fired 9mm cartridge cases and two fired .45-caliber cartridge cases, PRO-NIR reported.
Survivor’s Account
According to PRO-NIR, investigators based their initial findings on the statement of the victim who escaped unharmed. He told police that the group had been settling in to sleep when two men — identified by authorities only as “Jos” and “Wil” — arrived, allegedly intoxicated.
One of the victims was conversing with the pair while the others rested in a makeshift sleeping area. The two men allegedly attempted to sell a firearm to one of the victims. When the offer was refused, the suspects reportedly cocked their weapons and opened fire on the group. The unharmed victim ran toward a nearby river, while the wounded victim also managed to get away, PRO-NIR said.
Possible Motive Under Investigation
PRO-NIR said investigators are looking into a land boundary dispute as a possible motive. The agency cited a prior conflict between the family of one victim and a relative of one suspect over property lines and the harvesting of coconut trees on contested land. Police said the motive remains under active investigation.
Suspects Apprehended
Suspect “Jos” was arrested at approximately 2:16 p.m. on October 16 in Sitio Palali, Barangay San Isidro, Pamplona, by a joint hot pursuit team. That team was led by the Santa Catalina Municipal Police Station and included personnel from the Regional Mobile Force Battalion, the Regional Intelligence Division, NOrPPO’s 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company and Provincial Intelligence Unit, and the Regional Public Safety Battalion. A victim-witness positively identified him as one of the alleged gunmen, according to PRO-NIR.
Suspect “Wil” surrendered later that evening at around 10:54 p.m. at the residence of Barangay Buenavista Captain Enarciso Delazerna Jr. He was subsequently brought to the Santa Catalina police station, where a victim-witness also made a positive identification, PRO-NIR said.
Police confirmed that both suspects were informed of the charges against them and of their constitutional rights in a language they understand.
Director Orders Continued Action
PRO-NIR Regional Director Police Brigadier General Rudecindo Reales directed personnel to intensify the investigation and pursue all lawful efforts to locate the missing victim.
“The arrest of the two suspects is an important development, but our work does not end there,” Reales said.
PRO-NIR added that follow-up operations and case documentation are ongoing.
Source: Police Regional Office Negros Island Region (PRO-NIR)
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