THE National Bureau of Investigation-Southeastern Mindanao Regional Office (NBI-Semro) believed that one of the alleged gunmen in the killing of Tres de Mayo Barangay Captain Oscar “Dodong” Bucol Jr. is a member of a government law enforcement unit, a revelation the agency says has complicated efforts to solve the case swiftly.
NBI-Semro spokesperson Elias Leaño said investigators are facing significant challenges due to the alleged involvement of suspects with government ties in the November 2025 assassination of the barangay official in Digos City, Davao del Sur.
“To be honest with the public, our policemen, myself, and the NBI are really having a hard time solving this case. This is a very classic case, and we believe that the assailants are also connected with the government,” Leaño said during a briefing with the Davao Security Press Corps on January 7, 2026.
Despite the difficulties, Leaño stressed that authorities remain committed to pursuing justice, even as he described the killing as a “classic, well-planned, and well-organized” operation that continues to pose serious investigative challenges.
Bucol was shot dead on November 25, 2025, while livestreaming on Facebook, a killing that unfolded in real time before his online audience and abruptly ended the broadcast.
Leaño said the police were initially allowed to take the lead in the investigation as first responders to avoid overlapping functions among agencies. He added that the NBI formally stepped in after the Bucol family requested its involvement and is now conducting a parallel investigation aimed at achieving an early resolution to the killing of the late barangay captain.
He further noted that despite a multi-million-peso reward being offered, no witnesses have come forward, raising concerns that potential informants may be deterred by the suspects’ alleged influence and ties to government.
Investigators have since narrowed the case down to two primary suspects from a broader list of persons of interest, although Leaño declined to disclose further details to avoid compromising the probe.
Bucol, a polarizing figure in local politics, had repeatedly claimed he was receiving death threats prior to his killing. In his online broadcasts, he openly expressed support for Davao del Sur Governor Yvonne Roña Cagas while criticizing Digos City Mayor Josef Fortich Cagas and Sta. Cruz Mayor Nelson “Tata” Sala, all of whom later condemned the killing.
The Digos City Government described the shooting as a “senseless act of violence” and remembered Bucol as a committed public servant.
Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) has intensified its manhunt for those behind the killing, with the reward for information leading to their arrest now reaching P5.5 million as of press time, according to Leaño. DEF