Cops Uncover New Details in Bacolod Couple’s Death

By Glazyl M. Jopson

BACOLOD CITY – Bacolod City Police Director Col. Joeresty Coronica revealed that a paraffin test conducted on a former barangay official, who died alongside his live-in partner in an alleged shooting in Barangay Sum-ag last week, tested positive for gunpowder residue.

In a press briefing on Wednesday, Coronica confirmed that 53-year-old Federico Gayagas Jr., a former captain of Barangay Bacong, Bago City, Negros Occidental, tested positive for paraffin, while 40-year-old Carmelita Davilla of Barangay Sum-ag tested negative.

The couple was found wounded inside a pickup truck driven by Gayagas in Bangga Tomaro on the night of March 7.

Davilla was declared dead at the hospital, while Gayagas succumbed to his injuries a day later.

Police Maj. Andy Ofalia, chief of Police Station 9, said investigators suspect the couple may have struggled over a firearm, with Davilla being shot first and Gayagas possibly turning the gun on himself afterward.

Ofalia confirmed that Davilla suffered eight gunshot wounds based on autopsy results, but Gayagas’s family refused to have his body examined.

The distribution of bullet holes in the vehicle suggested a struggle, possibly during an argument, Ofalia added.

A bullet hole in the driver’s side window led police to believe that Gayagas may have shot himself in the head after firing at Davilla.

Further investigation showed that the spent shells found at the crime scene and bullets recovered from Davilla’s body matched Gayagas’s licensed 9mm firearm.

Ofalia quoted Davilla’s family as saying the couple frequently fought, and Davilla had decided to end their relationship before the shooting.

A closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera footage also showed the car parked properly, ruling out the possibility of an ambush, Ofalia noted.

“We attempted to cross-match the markings with the forensic unit to trace the origin of the recovered M16 firearm, but only two digits of the serial number were legible,” Coronica said.

He added that police are also investigating a grenade launcher found at the scene.

Coronica speculated that Gayagas may have had a penchant for firearms, considering the large cache of ammunition, an explosive, and a long firearm found in his vehicle.

Gayagas had been involved in a shootout in Barangay Taculing in 2016 when police attempted to serve a search warrant on a suspected drug personality.

He and another companion were injured in the encounter, while his cousin was killed.

At the time, Gayagas claimed to be an asset of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), but Coronica dismissed this, saying there was no known record of his involvement with the agency.

In July 2017, Gayagas survived a gun attack when unidentified armed men stormed his cock farm in Bago City.

Following the recent incident, Coronica emphasized that police authority at checkpoints under the Commission on Elections (Comelec) gun ban is limited, as they cannot forcibly inspect a person’s belongings without violating constitutional rights.

However, he reassured the public that the police remain committed to maintaining peace and order in the city.