TAGOLOAN Police said yesterday that two recent incidents of killings and shootings in Barangay Sihayon appear to be connected, following similarities in the suspects’ methods and evidence recovered.
Police Captain Reczon Talines revealed that the same cartridge cases were found at the scenes of the murder of Jilberto Solis, 43, on Sunday, and the shooting of Steven Taca-Taca, 35, early Tuesday morning.
Solis was shot and stabbed to death at the boundary of Barangay Sta. Cruz and Sihayon, while Taca-Taca, a resident of Zone 11B in Sihayon, was shot multiple times to the head, back, and hand at around 2:40 am on Tuesday.
He was initially treated at Polymedic Hospital in Tagoloan but later transferred to the Northern Mindanao Medical Center, where he remains in stable condition.
“Among gisuta, among gitan-aw ilang mode of operation—pareha pareha ra,” Talines said, pointing out the link between the incidents.
Talines said the perpetrators appear familiar with the area, knowing its entrances and exits.
He also noted that a checkpoint conducted by police near Sihayon had ended just an hour before Taca-Taca’s shooting.
Solis, one of the victims, had reportedly been a suspect in a killing that occurred in Tagoloan in August 2024, Talines added.
To curb further violence, additional police personnel from the provincial headquarters have been deployed. Checkpoints have been intensified, with at least two stops for anyone entering Tagoloan.
“We are basing our operations on the crime map and crime clock,” Talines said.
As Tagoloan gears up for the Cantago Festival next week, held in honor of the feast of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria, Talines urged residents to remain vigilant.
“Crime happens when there is a target and an opportunity. To reduce opportunity, there should be target hardening,” he said, advising households to install security measures like changing locks, using CCTV cameras, and avoiding bringing valuables to public events.
Police continue to investigate the incidents while reminding the public to report any suspicious activities.
