Killers on bike gun down hog trader

By Jennifer P. Rendon

 

Barely a week after the region’s top police official declared more aggressive police operations against motorcycle-riding criminals, a hog trader was gunned down in Jaro, Iloilo City.

Riding-in-tandem gunmen shot dead Edranil Umadhay, 54, a resident of M.H. del Pilar St., Jaro district, around 5:45 a.m. of December 13.

Police accounts said that Umadhay, together with his 17-year-old son, was driving his top-down tricycle when two motorcycle-riding men tailed them along Don Delfin St., Barangay Tabuc Subar, Jaro.

Witnesses said the suspects were on a Mio scooter and wore face masks, caps, and black jackets.

The back rider shot the victim thrice on the back.

The gunmen sped off towards Barangay Tacas, Jaro.

The victim lost control of his motorcycle and plowed through a vegetated portion in the area.

There were reports that the gunman attempted to shoot Umadhay’s son, but he managed to parry the attack.

The victim was taken to Western Visayas State University Medical Center but was pronounced dead at 5:55 am.

Police recovered from the crime scene an empty shell of caliber .45 ammunition.

Police Captain Mark Anthony Gesulga, Jaro police chief, said they’re reviewing closed-circuit TV camera footages in areas where the suspects may have passed by while fleeing.

Gesulga said they could not pinpoint any suspect or possible motive behind the killing.

Umadhay’s son claimed that his father had a misunderstanding with another man recently over their business.

Meanwhile, Gesulga has yet to confirm if Umadhay indeed worked as a bodyguard of former Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog.

There were reports that the victim used to be involved in illegal drugs.

But his friends claimed that he had long disengaged in the illegal drug trade and went into swine business.

Last week, Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) Brigadier General Rolando Miranda said they would strengthen their campaign in going after and arresting riding-in-tandem or motorcycle-riding suspects.

Miranda said he wanted a more focused effort to counter the acts of motorcycle-riding suspects (MRS), especially those in the cities of Bacolod and Iloilo, the two highly-urbanized cities in Western Visayas.

Currently, PRO-6 has Motorized Anti-Street Crime Operating (MASCO) teams which are deployed to respond to incidents involving motorcycle-riding suspects, other crimes and even emergencies.

It was gathered that from January to November 2020, a total of 90 crimes were committed by motorcycle-riding suspects.

Of the 90 cases, 43 are murder, 20 are physical injuries, 15 are robbery cases, 7 are theft cases, 3 are rape and 2 are motornapping.