8 dead, 6 hurt in another Laguna shooting incident

MANILA, Philippines - Barely three days since the grisly bank robbery in Cabuyao, Laguna, eight people were killed while six others were injured after a gunman armed with an M-16 rifle fired on the victims' houses at another Laguna town before dawn Monday. In an interview on dzBB radio, Laguna provincial police director Sr. Supt. Felipe Roxas Jr. said investigators remain baffled over the motive of the gunman in firing at the victims, all from two farming families in the remote rural village of Hornalan in Calamba City. The fatalities were initially identified as Dennis Balisong, 29; daughters Gladys, 8, and Gladen, 7; Jerry Pili, 49; Gloria Pili; Mary Jane Pili, 12; Sarah Pili; and Julian Pili. Rushed to the San Jose Hospital were Dennis' wife Marina Balisong; son Dennis Mark Balisong, 5; Aurelio Abanilla, 52; Vicente Redondo, 42; Cherry Mae Pili, 17; and Erica Pili, 8. "No rhyme or reason... Walang motive, good term sila sa mga tenants at walang political motivation (No rhyme or reason. There's no motive, the families are on good terms with each other and there's no political motivation)," Roxas said. In a separate radio interview, Calamba police director Supt. Nestor dela Cueva said there is a possibility some of the wounded may die because of the seriousness of their injuries. Dela Cueva said their initial investigation showed the incident occurred between 11 p.m. Sunday and 12:15 a.m. Monday. "Yan ang big puzzle sa amin, dinamay ang mga bata (That is a big puzzle to us at this time. The perpetrator did not spare the children)," Dela Cueva said when asked about possible motives behind the crime. Dela Cueva said the Pili family had been in the area for several years, while the Balisong family moved in from Masbate province three to five years ago. He said the two families did not feud. Roxas said they are trying to interview witnesses from neighboring villages to see if they saw the perpetrators, noting that investigators have so far recovered at least one shell from an M-16 rifle. Witnesses at the site recalled seeing only one person firing at the houses. "(Nung kinausap namin yung mga sugatan, sinabi nilang) bigla na lang nagputukan, natamaan sila sa loob ng bahay (When we interviewed the wounded, they said they just woke to the sound of gunfire and that they were hit inside their homes)," said Rey Enriquez, nurse on duty. The massacre took place days after gunmen robbed a bank branch in Cabuyao, Laguna and killed nine bank employees and a customer. Calabarzon police director Chied Supt. Ricardo Padilla said the Calamba killings occurred days after they set up checkpoints and chokepoints to prevent a repeat of the bank robbery, as he vowed to go after the perpetrators. "This is a very unfortunate incident. Rest assured the PNP will not stop until the perpetrators are brought to justice," Padilla said in an interview on dzXL radio. - GMANews.TV