Drug personality, 2 others shot dead

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – Three persons, including an alleged drug personality, were gunned down by unidentified perpetrators in separate shooting incidents in Negros Occidental last Monday.

The first incident was reported in Bago City, killing 40-year-old tricycle driver Rex Palma at Purok Paho, Barangay Ma-ao around 5:30 p.m.

Police Lieutenant Joseph Jaro, deputy police chief of Bago City Police Station, said that an unidentified man flagged down Palma’s tricycle while he was on his way to Purok Paho.

When they reached their destination, the passenger-suspect then shot Palma on the forehead.

The suspect then rode a motorcycle driven by his unidentified companion, who was already waiting in the area prior to the killing.

Jaro said that Palma had been staying in the city for two years now.

“May info na halin daw siya sa Manila, pero subject for confirmation pa,” he added.

Police are looking into grudges as possible angle behind the killing. However, they could not establish yet the reason behind the suspect’s anger against the victim.

Thirty minutes later, another shooting happened in Barangay Linao, Kabankalan City, which claimed the life of Sunny Tapdasan, 44, of Barangay Tampalon.

Police Lieutenant Jomel Salarda, deputy police chief of Kabankalan City Police Station, said that Tapdasan’s body was found on the roadside around 6 p.m.

Salarda said the victim succumbed to two gunshot wounds in the head.

Police believed that Tapdasan probably had to meet someone in the area for a transaction before he was killed.

“Nagpundo siya sa kilid highway, tapos katubuhan abi palibot man,” Salarda said.

Police recovered from the scene two .45-caliber ammunition shells, two deformed slugs of the same caliber, and the victim’s motorcycle.

Also recovered from him were two sachets of suspected shabu, several identification cards, P500, and other documents.

The victim was reported to be an informant of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) based on his ID.

Salarda said they are eyeing illegal drugs as possible motive for the incident, considering that he was listed as a street level individual.

Salarda also said the killing could have been done due to something personal, as the victim was reported to have enemies.

Meanwhile, in E.B Magalona town, 24-year-old Joey Dela Torre of Barangay San Isidro, was also murdered at the said village around 9 p.m.

Police Captain Eric Doronilla, town police chief, said Dela Torre, a sugarcane worker was on his way home after he went fishing in a river with a friend when he met a group of men armed with guns.

“Basi bala na kursunadahan lang siya sang nasugata niya,” he added.

Doronilla said the perpetrators, along with four other individuals including two girls, were believed to have come from a drinking session.

Prior to the incident, Doronilla said that Dela Torre’s father heard seven gunshots and saw these individuals pass by him when he went to the store. However, he could not clearly identify them.

Doronilla said that Dela Torre sustained four gunshot wounds which caused his immediate death.

Police recovered from the scene an empty shell of .9mm caliber ammunition, and another empty shell of .45 caliber ammo.