Gunman strafes parked vehicles

By Jennifer P. Rendon

A still unidentified gunman strafed four vehicles parked inside the covered gym of Barangay Monica Bluementritt in City Proper, Iloilo City.

Major Shella Mae Sangrines, Iloilo City Police Station 1 chief, said the incident happened around 11 p.m. on Dec 14.

Four vehicles incurred bullets holes – a red Toyota Rush SUV (license plate FAE 8929), a black Chevrolet sedan (license plate FAD 1825), a white Mitsubishi Montero Sports SUV (license plate FAA 8211), and a white Honda CRV SUV (license plate AMA 9612).

Lovely Obligacion owns the Toyota Rush while the black Chevrolet sedan is registered in the name of Prosecutor Ma. Monica Espinosa but is used by her younger brother, Freddy Espinosa Jr.

Filmore Espinosa owns the two other SUVs.

The vehicles were all parked on the right side of the gym.

Sangrines said that other vehicles parked on the other side of the gym were unscathed.

The assailant apparently positioned himself at the side of the gym next to an alley.

“This led us to believe that the shooter is a resident of the area. If not, he is too familiar with the place,” she said.

Sangrines said the gunman also knows to position himself away from the security cameras in the area.

“That area is also dimly-lit and has access going to neighboring villages like dela Rama,” she said.

For now, Sangrines said they could not rule on the motive behind the incident.

While they have persons of interest, she said that they must gather evidence and testimonies.

“Puro man lang ambot kag wala nakita ang hambal sang mga residente,” she said.
Sangrines said they’re also checking the identities of the car owners.

But so far, they all claimed to have not figured in any incident that could make them targets of attacks.

Prior to this, Freddy claimed that his car’s tires appeared to have been intentionally pierced.

Investigators are also considering the possibility that someone got irked after seeing the gym parked with vehicles.

It was gathered that several vehicles were temporarily parked at the covered gym as a relative has just been interred early that day.

Sangrines hoped that witnesses would come out to shed light on the incident.