Slain farmer’s kin seek arrest of 6 suspects
Philippine Daily Inquirer

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The family of lumad farmer Wilce Gica, who was shot dead on August 24 in Maramag, Bukidnon has asked authorities to arrest the six guards of Villalon Ranch who were tagged as suspects.

Police confirmed that murder charges had been filed against the suspects, led by a Milo Ceballos, before the Bukidnon prosecutor’s office in Malaybalay City.

Senior Police Officer 1 Jonathan Bataican, Maramag investigator, said the murder charges were filed after witnesses came forward and identified the guards as suspects in the death of Gica.

Gica was to attend a meeting called for by guards of Villalon Ranch purposely to inform him and his group that they were not allowed anymore to till the land they had been farming.

The slain farmer reportedly declined to surrender his farming tools when frisked outside the meeting venue in Pansalan village in Maramag.

Bataican said witnesses tagged Ceballos as the one who shot Gica, using a Carbine rifle.

The other guards were identified as Kevin Musico, Manuelito de la Cerna, Celso Oplimo, Romeo Dacquiano and Dante Cardines.

Glenda Gica Ubanan, the slain farmer’s eldest sister, said they were puzzled why the suspects remained at large.

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