A reward has been put up for the arrest of the suspect who massacred his five relatives, three of them children, in Milaor, Camarines Sur, over the weekend.
Anthony Reyes, mayor of Milaor, said in a news conference carried live on social media on Monday that his municipality has offered to give P100,000 to anyone who could provide information that could lead to the arrest of Arthur de Leon.
De Leon was tagged in the killing on Friday of his uncle Romeo de Leon,72; his nephew Samuel de Leon Cobilla Jr., 27; his grandnephews Hobbie John, 6, and Robbie John Britanico, 4, and grandniece Noela de Leon Agliones, 7, de Leon’s another grandnephew, Hades John, 7, was also wounded and is currently in the hospital.
The police said de Leon, in a camouflage suit, barged into the house of his uncle at Zone 1, Barangay Tarusanan, Milaor, at around 5:45 p.m. on Friday and fired shots at the victims using an M-16 rifle. The children were playing at that time.
After the shooting, de Leon walked up to the adjoining house of his uncle’s daughter, Luzviminda Cobilla, and aimed at her, but ended up shooting Samuel. The police said the suspect also threw a grenade into Cobilla’s house.
Reyes and Milaor police officials said manhunt operations are continuing against de Leon whose arrest is expected to be hastened by the reward money.
Reyes said former Camarines Sur first district congressman Rolando Andaya Jr. has also promised to give an additional P500,000 for information leading to the arrest of the suspect.
Police said a pending feud over a right of way provoked the attack.