Family massacred in Zamboanga town

ZAMBOANGA CITY: Five members of a family were murdered and then burned inside their house in the town of Siocon in the southern Philippine province of Zamboanga del Norte, police said Thursday.

Police said among those killed were two minors – 17 and 13 years old – and a sexagenarian. Two other victims were aged 20 and 45 years old.

“I already ordered the manhunt against the suspects. They must face the consequences of their vicious acts,” said BGen. Jesus Cambay Jr., the regional police chief, who also condemned the massacre which occurred on Wednesday in the village of Candiz.

Cambay said minutes before the killings, one of the victims, Aldrin Aban, 20, managed to phone his brother Tairon telling him that they were being attacked by armed men led by one Elpidio Obiniana.

“He said that Elpidio Obiniana, alias Balondong, and other unidentified suspects were in the place and burned their house and then started shooting them one by one,” Cambay said, quoting Aban.

He said the police launched an investigation into the killing. He identified the other victims as Carlito Advincula Aban, 60; Shannyn Cris Aban, 17; Stephen Aban, 13; and Rosalia Quirit, 45.

Source: TheManila Times