Samar's most wanted found dead and beheaded in Calbayog City

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines — One of Samar's most wanted persons was shot and beheaded by still unidentified and undetermined number of persons at Barangay Palanogan in Calbayog City’s lower Happy Valley area. Another person was also found dead at the crime scene.

Calbayog City Police officials said the incident took place at around 1 p.m. Saturday, and responding policemen reached the crime scene about 3:20 p.m. or two hours after.

The beheaded victim was identified as Reynaldo Dealagdon, alias "Bolon," whose body was found lying beside Hibatang River. His head, with the right eye smashed and both ears also dismembered, was found a few meters away from the body.

Dealagdon was wanted for three murder and two attempted murder cases. A P100,000 reward was up for his capture, dead or alive. Calbayog policemen are now in hot pursuit operation against the killer or killers.

The other dead body, found in the middle of the river and just a few meters from Dealagdon’s body, was identified to be that of Analo Baito. It also had several gunshot wounds.

Senior Superintendent Nicholas Torre III, Samar Police Provincial Office (SPPO) director, in a phone interview told The Freeman and The Philippine Star that the killing of Dealagdon and Baito was probably a result of the ongoing power struggle among members and leaders of a private armed group (PAG) in Calbayog.

“They are killing each other, dahil sa power struggle. Kilala naman namin ang mga suspects dito and I hope na sa ganitong pangyayari we can stop the killings in Calbayog that already claimed several lives of civilians, and even barangay officials in the past," Torre added. (FREEMAN)