Tragic end for 74-year-old Leonora: Shot in her own home in Kabankalan City

• A 74-year-old woman, alias "Leonora," was killed by two armed men at her home in Barangay Tapi, Kabankalan City, on Tuesday evening
• The suspects reportedly forced their way into the house, ordered family members to stay inside, and confronted the victim before shooting her in the forehead
• Investigators are checking if the attack is linked to a 2025 encounter where seven rebels died in a house previously owned by the victim
• The incident is being monitored as the first potential insurgency-related case of the year under the new battalion command in Negros Occidental

A quiet evening in Purok Halimbawa, Barangay Tapi, turned into a scene of horror as a 74-year-old woman was brutally gunned down. The victim, known by the alias “Leonora,” was at her home on Tuesday, February 3, at around 7:00 PM when two armed men suddenly arrived.

According to reports from the Kabankalan City Police, the suspects did not just break in; they acted with chilling authority. They entered the house—a structure recently built by the local government for the victim’s family—and strictly ordered everyone inside to stay put and not step outside. After a brief and tense confrontation with Leonora, the family heard the unmistakable sound of a gunshot.

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Terrified and following the suspects' orders, the relatives remained inside until the men fled into the darkness. When they finally went out to check, they found Leonora lying in a pool of her own blood just outside the house. She had been shot directly in the forehead, killing her instantly.

The background of this case suggests a deep and complicated history. Investigators revealed that Leonora was the former owner of a house in the same barangay where a bloody encounter took place on April 27, 2025. In that incident, seven suspected rebels were killed by government forces, including Dee Supelanas, a graduate of the University of the Philippines. Because Leonora's original home was destroyed during that battle, the city government of Kabankalan provided her with the new house where she was eventually killed.

Currently, the police are looking into the theory that Leonora was targeted because of suspicions that she was an informant for the military. This tragedy marks a grim milestone as the first potential insurgency-related killing of 2026 recorded under the leadership of the new battalion commander, Lieutenant Colonel Roberto Maduli.

The violence in the region continues to be a concern for residents and authorities alike, with several incidents of gun violence being reported recently. These cases highlight the ongoing struggle for peace and security in various parts of the country.

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The community of Kabankalan was previously shocked by the discovery of a 17-year-old girl’s body dumped right in front of her family's residence. The victim had been missing for several hours before her remains were found, showing signs of severe physical trauma. Local police are still piecing together the events leading to her death, with family members calling for a swift and thorough investigation.Read more here

Source: KAMI.com.gh