BAGUMBAYAN, Sultan Kudarat — A 40-year-old farm worker was shot dead by two armed men while harvesting oil palm fruits inside a plantation in Purok Pagkakaisa, Barangay Kapaya, Bagumbayan, Sultan Kudarat, on Thursday morning, July 30.
The victim was identified as Randy Palic, a plantation worker who was reportedly loading freshly harvested oil palm fruit bunches together with his co-workers when the attack occurred.
According to the Bagumbayan Municipal Police Station, the two unidentified assailants suddenly approached the victim and opened fire without warning. Palic sustained multiple gunshot wounds to the head and different parts of his body, causing his instantaneous death.
Emergency responders and police personnel rushed to the scene following the shooting, but the victim was declared dead on arrival.
Bagumbayan Municipal Police Station Chief Major Ronalyn Pineda said the suspects immediately fled after the attack aboard a blue Honda XRM motorcycle without a license plate, making their escape before responding authorities arrived.
Police have yet to identify the gunmen or establish the motive behind the killing.
Authorities have launched a hot pursuit operation while investigators continue gathering evidence, interviewing witnesses, and reviewing all possible angles to determine whether the attack was connected to a personal grudge, work-related conflict, or another motive.
Crime scene investigators processed the area for ballistic and other forensic evidence that could help identify those responsible for the brazen daytime killing.
The fatal shooting has alarmed residents and fellow plantation workers in Barangay Kapaya, where oil palm farming serves as a major source of livelihood for many families. The incident also underscores continuing concerns over violence in rural communities, where workers remain vulnerable while carrying out their daily jobs.
The Sultan Kudarat Police Provincial Office has urged anyone with information that could lead to the identification and arrest of the suspects to coordinate with the nearest police station. Authorities assured the victim’s family that every effort is being undertaken to bring those responsible before the courts and ensure justice for the slain farm worker.