DUMALINAO, Zamboanga del Sur — A 37-year-old security guard from Panaon, Misamis Occidental was found dead early Friday morning, June 26, after he was allegedly shot by still unidentified assailants in Barangay Sebucao, Dumalinao, prompting authorities to launch a hot pursuit operation and an intensive investigation.
The victim was identified as Jonjie Aclo Cahayag, a resident of Purok 1, Barangay Baga, Panaon, Misamis Occidental. Police confirmed his identity through identification cards recovered from his body.
According to the initial investigation conducted by the Dumalinao Municipal Police Station (MPS), Cahayag’s lifeless body was first discovered by a child lying in a roadside canal near a bridge in Purok Upo 1, Barangay Sebucao.
The child immediately informed his grandfather after noticing the motionless body, prompting residents to alert local authorities.
Responding police officers found the victim with three gunshot wounds, which investigators believe caused his immediate death.
Residents told investigators that they heard three successive gunshots in the area shortly after 9:00 p.m. on Thursday, several hours before the victim’s body was discovered.
During the crime scene investigation, police recovered three empty shell casings along the roadside, approximately 50 meters away from where the victim’s body was eventually found.
Based on the physical evidence gathered, investigators believe the victim may have been shot at a different location before his body was dragged and dumped into the canal beside the road in an apparent attempt to conceal the actual crime scene.
Authorities are still waiting for the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) to complete a thorough forensic examination that will help determine the caliber of the firearm used and gather additional evidence that could aid in identifying the perpetrators.
As of this writing, police have yet to establish the motive behind the killing, and no suspects have been publicly identified.
The Dumalinao Municipal Police Station has already launched a hot pursuit operation while investigators continue conducting CCTV backtracking in nearby establishments and along possible escape routes in hopes of identifying the gunmen responsible for the fatal attack.
Police are also interviewing possible witnesses and gathering additional evidence to reconstruct the events leading to the victim’s death.
Authorities have appealed to anyone with information that could help solve the case to immediately coordinate with the nearest police station.
The investigation remains ongoing as law enforcement officers intensify efforts to identify, locate, and arrest those behind the killing.