The local government unit (LGU) of Carmen, Bohol and the town’s former mayor have raised a P100,000-reward for tipsters who could relay information that would lead to the arrest of suspects in the killing of a barangay councilor of the town on Sunday.
Both the LGU and former mayor Che Delos Reyes put up P50,000 each as reward money on Tuesday, two days after Rufa Sugala was allegedly shot dead by four gunmen in Barangay El Progreso, Carmen.
The gun attack also resulted in the injury of Rufa’s husband Arthur Sugala who sustained multiple gunshot wounds as the assailants reportedly shot at both victims while they were travelling onboard a motorcycle.
Following the attack, Arthur bared to Carmen Station commander Chief Insp. Rully Lauron the identity of the possible mastermind in his wife’s assassination while he identified one of the gunmen as Jose Neosinia, resident of Barangay San Vicente, Dagohoy.
However, Lauron noted that the suspects are likely to have already fled Carmen.
The Carmen police has already started coordination with police station in neighboring towns as part of efforts to locate the gunmen and the crime’s alleged mastermind.
Authorities also urged the public to report information on the suspects and their possible whereabouts through call or text to the Carmen Police Station’s contact numbers: 525-9087 ug 09498418306.
In a previous interview, Lauron said that police are eyeing multiple possible motives behind Rufa’s murder as the female village councilor was active in the campaign against illegal drug and gambling activities and animal theft.
The police chief also noted that Rufa had earlier reported to him a purported presence of unidentified armed men in her village.
However, Lauron said that police have not yet concluded that Rufa was killed due to her active involvement in the drive against criminality, particularly as the suspect linked to the murder has no prior records with police which indicate involvement in narcotics trade and other illegal activities.
According to Lauron, the Sugalas have multiple small businesses including the sale of agricultural products from a land they own, property pawning and a lending racket for residents in their barangay.
Rufa and her husband were known to be better off financially in their village due to their ventures, said Lauron. (A. Doydora)