Businessman, 4 others massacred in Bulacan; 2 missing

A businessman, his son and three farm workers were killed and two others are missing when fully-armed robbers barged into a compound in San Ildefonso in Bulacan, Wednesday night. Authorities named the fatalities as businessman Ricardo Valmocina, 61; his son Roel Joseph, 16, and farm workers Melchor Cardinal, 24, Michael Milanay, 19 and a certain Jojo, 23, all of Barangay Pinaod in San Ildefonso. Initial investigation disclosed that around 9 p.m. when 12 suspects, wearing bonnets, entered the Tamayo compound owned by Valmocina. The compound houses Valmocina’s breeding farm of fighting cocks and a poultry farm owned by one Emerson Mag-adya. Once inside, the suspects chanced upon Cardinal, Milanay and Jojo while having a conversation outside Cardinal’s house inside the compound. The suspects later asked the three to surrender their firearms. When the three refused, the suspects shot dead Milanay and Jojo, after which they dragged Cardinal towards the nearby house of Valmocina, where he was shot dead. Afterwards, the suspects forcibly entered Valmocina’s house and shot Ricardo Valmocina who was then at the sala. The young Valmocina was also shot by the suspects as he rushed to the sala after hearing gunshots. The suspects later ransacked Valmocina’s house and carted away P10,000 cash, assorted pieces of jewelry worth P100,000, cell phones, and other valuables. Before leaving, the suspects also fired upon Valmocina’s Nissan Sentra car with plate number UAT 830, destroying its tires, windshield and gas tank. Police also discovered that another son of Valmocina, 34-year-old Reyante, and Robin Solano, 40, also a farm worker were missing but authorities are not yet ascertained if they were taken by the suspects. The suspects fled on board a Toyota Revo vehicle and a passenger-type jeep with unknown plate numbers. Police operatives led by the 306th Provincial Mobile Group, have launched pursuit operations against the perpetrators. -GMANEWS.TV