A FARMER who cut off the head of his neighbor on Wednesday was shot dead after he tried to attack an arresting officer in Nabunturan, Davao de Oro.
The victim was identified as Joel Avila, 58, while the suspect was Jovanie Pedere, of Purok 14, Bgy. Camanlangan, New Bataan municipality.
The victim and the suspect were neighbors.
Police Regional Office 11 director Brig. Gen. Benjamin H. Silo Jr. said members of the Nabunturan Municipal Police Station responded to a report regarding a hacking incident in Bgy. Bukal around 6 a.m. Wednesday.
Juvelyn Avila, the 23-year-old daughter of Joel , personally appeared at the local police station with her policewoman-cousin to report the hacking incident.
Juvelyn said she was shocked when she saw the suspect carrying a sack containing the head of her father around 10 a.m. last Tuesday.
The young Avila reported the incident to the local police prompting a team of officers to investigate.
Responding operatives of the Nabunturan Municipal Police Station and a SWAT team from the Davao de Oro Provincial Police Office found the headless body of the victim in a ravine while the head was discovered around 500 meters away from the first location.
While officers were investigating, they received an information that the suspect was seen in a hut near the crime scene. When they came to check, policemen found the suspect sitting.
The suspect was asked to surrender peacefully but instead of yielding, Pedere allegedly attacked the officers with a bolo prompting one officer to fire at him.
The suspect suffered gunshot wounds and died on the spot.
Recovered from the slain suspect were the bolo he used in killing Avila and an improvised spear.
The motive for the beheading is being investigated.
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