Farmer in Pampanga shooting dies; 3 guards nabbed

PORAC, Pampanga, Philippines - – One of four farmers shot in the disputed Hacienda Dolores here on Sunday died the other day at a hospital in San Fernando.

This developed as authorities reported the arrest yesterday of three security guards who allegedly shot at the farmers as they were on their way to the farm.

Alyansang Magbubukid ng Gitnang Luzon (AMGL) chairman Joseph Canlas confirmed the death of Arman Padino, who suffered a bullet wound in the head during a confrontation between some 30 farmers and the security guard of LLL Holdings Co., one of the claimants to the hacienda.

Senior Superintendent Oscar Albayalde, Pampanga police director, identified two of the guards as Fernando de Vera and Elorde Sagun.

A shotgun with bullets was recovered from De Vera. The third guard was not immediately identified.

Canlas insisted, however, that Padino died from a bullet fired from a caliber .45 pistol.

“It seems that there is an effort to twist this case,” he said, as he expressed doubt on the impartiality of the police and local officials.

Albayalde said the security guards were believed to have fired the shots that hit Padino and his companions, Noel Tumali and Arman Lomibao, all members of the Aniban ng Nagkakaisang Mamamayan sa Hacienda Dolores (Aniban).

Aniban has been advocating the rights of hacienda farmers over lands being claimed by LLL Holdings and two other private corporations. 

Tumali and Lomibao remained in serious condition at the Jose B. Lingad Memorial Hospital in San Fernando.

The police report said Antonio Tolentino, chairman of Barangay Hacienda Dolores, and security guard Larry Sabado, were among those injured in the incident. Sabado was reported to have sustained hack wounds.

Canlas said Tolentino, a member of Aniban, was arrested and remains detained at the police headquarters in Porac as of yesterday.