1 dead after gunfight in Boracay over land dispute

BORACAY, Philippines – One died on Friday, November 6, after a gunfight ensued between armed men and security guards in a disputed property in Barangay Manoc-Manoc in Boracay Island.

Wilfredo Abelinde, caretaker of the property, said 3 suspects wearing bonnets confronted him with a gun and poked it at his face while he was urinating inside the compound around 3 am Friday.

It is believed there was a small group of armed men surrounding the area, he said.

The armed men who entered the 1,000-square-meter hilly property in Callerojan in Sitio Cagban owned by former Barangay Manoc-Manoc captain Joel Gelito were allegedly employed by the adjoining property.

Abelinde, native of Masbate and a retired Philippine Army Master Sergeant, said he was held hostage for a few minutes as he shouted for help to his 4 other guards.

The perpetrators then fired at his companions and a 10-minute gunfight ensued.

“Napilitan kaming lumaban dahil pinasok kami. May nag-alarma na sa amin nitong Huwebes na papasukin kami ng mga armado, mga 50 daw sila,” he added. (We were forced to fight back because they barged in. Someone alarmed us on Thursday that about 50 armed men would forcibly enter the property.)

Abelinde said they foiled a hostage attempt as his security guards fired on armed suspects who fled in the brief shootout.

No security guards involved in the shooting were injured or killed after the incident, he stressed.

Police eye ‘land dispute’

Aklan Acting Police Director Senior Superintendent Iver Apellido said personnel of Boracay Tourist Assistance Center went to the area and recovered cartridges, caliber .38, bolos, a shotgun and found blood stains.

An unidentified victim, who was half naked, was also found in the wooded area with gunshot wounds and in a pool of blood, the police said.

Abelinde said the victim could be one of the heavily-armed intruders who tried to invade the property during the wee hours of Friday.

Apellido, who also went to the crime scene, said the latest incident could be related to a land dispute. An inventory of the firearms used in the shootout, he added, is also being conducted by the police.

“This seemed to be an isolated case and no cause for public alarm,” Apellido said. – Rappler.com