A foreign national and his Filipina wife were shot dead by two unidentified male assailants inside their home in Purok Katubhan, Barangay Bajumpandan, Dumaguete City, at approximately 4:00 a.m. on Wednesday, September 2, 2026 — marking the second fatal home attack on a foreign national in the Dumaguete area in less than two months.
The victims were identified as a 72-year-old man and his 71-year-old wife, both residents of the barangay. Their names are being withheld pending notification of their next of kin, according to police.
Shooting Reported Hours After the Attack
Capt. Stephen Jaynard Polinar, spokesperson of the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office, said the incident was officially reported to the Dumaguete City Police Station at 6:08 a.m. — more than two hours after the attack occurred.
Preliminary investigation showed two male assailants carried out the shooting before quickly fleeing the scene. Police cordoned off the couple's residence Wednesday morning as investigators processed the crime scene.
Person of Interest Identified; Motive Still Unknown
The Dumaguete City Police Station has identified a person of interest in connection with the killings, Capt. Polinar disclosed. However, as of the time of posting, the motive for the attack remains undetermined.
Follow-up operations are ongoing to identify and arrest the perpetrators, according to the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office.
Second Fatal Attack on a Foreign National in Under Two Months
The killings come less than two months after American marine biologist Kent Carpenter, 73, was fatally shot on the night of July 12, when three masked men broke into his home in Sibulan, Negros Oriental. Police said the assailants shot Carpenter in the head and fled with a laptop, cash, and a backpack — a case that investigators treated as a robbery.
The Carpenter killing drew international attention. Negros Island Region police director Brig. Gen. Romano Cardiño publicly assured the public and foreign visitors that the case was being handled with utmost urgency. Suspects were arrested within a week, and five individuals were subsequently charged with robbery and homicide.
About Barangay Bajumpandan
Barangay Bajumpandan, where Wednesday's attack occurred, is one of Dumaguete City's largest barangays. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 9,755 residents.
By the Numbers
- 4:00 a.m. — approximate time of the shooting on September 2, 2026
- 6:08 a.m. — time the incident was officially reported to the Dumaguete City Police Station
- 72 and 71 — ages of the male and female victims, respectively
- 9,755 — population of Barangay Bajumpandan as of the 2024 census
- July 12, 2026 — date of the prior fatal attack on American national Kent Carpenter in Sibulan
- 5 — individuals charged in connection with the Carpenter killing
Why This Matters
Wednesday's double killing is the second fatal home invasion targeting a foreign national in the Dumaguete-Sibulan area in under two months, raising renewed concerns about the safety of foreign residents in the province. The earlier Carpenter case had already drawn international scrutiny, prompting senior police officials to publicly reassure foreign visitors and residents of the region. With the motive in the latest case still undetermined and suspects still at large, the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office faces heightened pressure as follow-up operations continue.
This is a developing story and will be updated as new information becomes available.
Photo credit: Photo by Kenneth / Breaking News Negros Oriental