MORE NEWS, NUEVA VIZCAYA

Couple, owners of drug store latest victims : shop condemns rash of murders in Vizcaya

SOLANO, Nueva Vizcaya – Bayombong Bishop Ramon Villena, one of the country’s most outspoken church officials, denounced the rash of killings in this usually peaceful province. “We abhor these violent killings in the strongest possible terms.

What is happening to our province? Villena said in visible anger. “We call on authorities to extend justice to these killings.”

Villena said this last week as he delivered eulogy at the St. Louis Parish Church for Joel Corpuz, 43, and his wife, Cristeta, 42, who were gunned down here on the night of July 5.

The couple, who left four young children, was buried Monday.

The church was filled with thousands of mourners who also condemned the “senseless” killing of the Corpuz couple, who owned the CV Drug Store here.

Police are still clueless on the killing although they earlier suspected robbery a possible motive.

Chief Insp. Corazon Valencia, town police chief, said Corpuz, brother-in-law of Vice Mayor Alberto Bumolo of Kasibu town, and his wife were robbed of their day’s earnings and shot dead by at least two gunmen as they got near their residence on board an owner-type jeep last July 5.

Police said the Corpuzes died from several bullet wounds in the head and body.

The couple’s killing came days after a mayor of a neighboring town and his lawyer-brother barely survived an assassination attempt.

Authorities have yet to name those behind last month’s killing of the barangay chairman of a mining village in Kasibu town, and the dumping here of the remains of an Indian national believed to have been tortured to death after his family failed to raise ransom money for his abductors. – CL