Ex-offender, couple killed in weekend shootings

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – Three persons, including a couple, were shot dead here and in Negros Occidental over the weekend.

In Bacolod, Raymund Apelledo, 29, of Barangay 3 was killed by unidentified perpetrators in the said barangay last Sunday.

Police Captain Paul Vincent Pendon, head of Police Station 2, said that Apelledo left their house after receiving a call from someone. A few minutes later, he was gunned down.

Pendon believed that more than one perpetrator committed the crime since 21 fired bullets of a suspected .9mm caliber firearm were recovered from the scene.

The victim was jailed in 2017 for illegal gambling. He was just released from jail for about a year now.

Pendon said they are looking into the possibility that the killing may be due to a misunderstanding with the victim’s group which is linked to some robbery and motornapping incidents here. “May kaakig gid ni ang suspect/s. Basi lansehanay man sila, wala nag intsindihanay sa tunga-ay kwarta,” he added.

A day prior to the Bacolod shooting, a couple was also killed in front of their four-year-old daughter in Barangay Rafaela Barera, Sagay City last Saturday.

The victims were identified as Hanna Grace and Norbert Simon Bukaling of the said village.

Police Major Roberto Indiape, Sagay City police chief, said the couple, along with their daughter, was riding a motorcycle on their way home when they were allegedly tailed by the suspect identified as 33-year-old Niño Andrin of Barangay Paraiso.

Andrin allegedly hit the couple’s motorcycle driven by Norbert, causing them to fall to the ground.

The suspect then shot the couple and fled, leaving the child unharmed.

Police recovered from the scene four fired cartridge cases of .45 caliber pistol, and live ammunition.

Andrin was arrested in a follow-up operation at his house after he was identified by a witness. However, police failed to recover the firearm used in the incident.

Indiape said they are looking into a love triangle or jealousy as a possible motive behind the killing since Hanna Grace had a previous relationship with the suspect.

Indiape said that Andrin denied the allegations against him.

Last Friday, a businesswoman was also shot dead at her meat shop in Barangay Dian-ay, Escalante City.