Four killed in Pangasinan massacre

By Ronron
April 24, 2007

Four persons were killed in a massacre Monday night in Pangasinan province, police said.

Chief Supt. Leopoldo Bataoil, Region 1 Police Director, identified the victims as Honrado Miranda, 50, a businessman; his wife, Isabel, 48; and their two nephews, Adrian Fred Cancino, 15, and Cesar Quijara, 26.

Bataoil said all four were shot to death by around five suspects insider the couple’s house in Barangay Calepaan, Asingan town at around 9:15 pm the other day (Monday).

Bataoil said the motive of the incident is robbery since the suspects took some amount of money from the victims.

According to the maid and the 15-year-old son of the couple, who both survived the attack, the suspects arrived aboard a white van and a motorbike.

Upon barging inside the Miranda’s residence, the suspects tied Cancino and Quijara and then went upstairs where Isabel was. After the getting some money, the suspects shot Isabel dead.

They then went down and shot Cancino and Quijara dead. And while on their way out, the suspects met Honrado. They also shot him dead.

“The robbery theory stemmed from the series of events prior to the killing wherein the victims, who are money changers in Urdaneta City (still in Pangasinan), were being tailed by motorcycle-riding men on their way home,” Bataoil said.

Police in Asingan and the province are not conducting joint investigation on the incident./DMS