Police pursue suspects in fatal Silay City Election Day shooting
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ELECTION DAY SHOOTING. The picture shows the scene of the shooting in Barangay Mambulac, Silay City, Negros Occidental in the morning of the midterm elections on Monday (May 12, 2025). (Photo courtesy of PRO-NIR)
BACOLOD CITY — Police are hunting down the perpetrators in the shooting that claimed the lives of two persons and wounded seven others in Barangay Mambulac, Silay City, Negros Occidental Monday morning.
In a statement, Brig. Gen. Arnold Thomas Ibay, director of the Police Regional Office – Negros Island Region (PRO-NIR), condemned “the act of violence.”
He also told the people of Silay and the rest of the region that “the situation is under control.”
“All necessary actions are being undertaken to bring the perpetrators to justice and maintain peace in the community,” he said.
“The full force of the law is being applied to apprehend the suspects,” he noted.
The initial report showed the victims were declared dead on arrival at a government hospital.
Based on the investigation, the suspect, Arnie Benedicto, village chief of Barangay Lantad, along with two unidentified men, fired their guns while passing through a political headquarter.
The crime took place in Barangay Mambulac at about 7 a.m.
“The suspects fled the scene, prompting a coordinated hot pursuit operation led by the Silay City Component City Police Station,” the report said.
The fatalities were identified as Albert Salimbot of Hacienda Macamig Pulo, Barangay E. Lopez, and Ronnie Piedad, 45, of Purok Ipil-ipil, Barangay Mambulac.
The wounded were Ruel Espinosa, 42; Ric Ortillano, 46; Wilfredo Cuello, 46; Glenn Gutierrez, 46; Ginray Guitche, 32; Jason Belleza; and Joey Pomares.
The wounded were brought to the Teresita Lopez Jalandoni Provincial Hospital in Silay City.
Then, they were transferred to a private hospital in Bacolod City.
According to the PRO-NIR report, checkpoints have been established across Silay City and neighboring localities to monitor the movement of the suspects.
Additional police personnel have been deployed to maintain peace and ensure the smooth flow of elections in the city.
A quick reaction team was also deployed to reinforce the Silay City police in the manhunt operations, it added.
