THE week that was saw at least three violent incidents in Bohol claiming the lives of four persons. Two of those killed were part of an entourage of 18 who came from Ubay town when the pumpboat they were riding capsized shortly before reaching the shoreline of barangay Tugas in Pres. Garcia town Wednesday evening. Two of the other passengers were still missing and believed to be dead. Search and rescue operations for the missing boat passengers had since been called off by the local Coast Guard. According to V-Mayor Nestor Abad, deputized coordinator of the Municipal Disaster Coordinating Council, the Tugas residents had just been to Ubay town to appear personally for the release of their loans from the lending company, Taytay sa Kauswagan, Inc. TSKI was in the news lately after its collectors were favorite victims of roving thieves.
The boat before reaching its destination in barangay Tugas encountered huge waves causing it to turn upside down. Tugas barangay captain Linda Garcia said the pump boat was chartered by passengers who attended a seminar in Ubay town. They were also there for the release of their loan applications after completing the seminar. Garcia disclosed that the pump boat was owned by one Jemma Hugarat also of barangay Tugas. She revealed that the passengers were mostly from Tugas and neighboring barangays. The banca which was carrying 18 people including two members left Ubay about 5 pm bound for Tugas. It was learned that the boat immediately encountered strong winds and rough waves. The boat persisted but fell short, sinking about 30 meters from the landing area in Tugas. Authorities identified the fatalities as Arsenia Ocon, 56, and Maria Guimbarda, 60. They were siblings. Missing were identified as couple Luciano and Delia Aclan. Until Saturday morning, the two had been unaccounted for. The rest of the passengers were rescued by pump boats from Tugas who defied the inclement weather. According to Ubay Coast Guard commander Mario Flores, the search and rescue operations for the missing couple were discontinued due to the worsening weather attributed to a low pressure area spotted in Surigao.
Meanwhile, two violent incidents in Carmen and Bilar claimed the lives of two sexagenarians. The Carmen incident involved a 66-year-old woman who was the object of an attempted rape. According to PO2 Anselmo Mesiona of the Carmen Police Station, the suspect who remained unidentified must have been so angry with the victim judging from the brutality of his act. The victim, identified as Liliosa Logrono was hacked several times. The same Carmen police source indicated there indeed was a rape attempt but it was not consummated. It was learned that the victim owned a farm in barangay Buenavista and it was there that she was waylaid by the suspect and brutally killed. The police are yet to establish the identity and motive of the suspect. In nearby Bilar, a 60-year-old man, apparently stricken by his guilty conscience, committed suicide inside the town jail last week. He was accused of raping his own daughter (name withheld) in barangay Dagohoy, Bilar. He used a shoestring in killing himself.
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