SK councilor charged with murder in Silay shootings

By Glazyl M. Jopson

BACOLOD CITY – Police filed a murder charge Monday against a 24-year-old Sangguniang Kabataan councilor, four days after a random shooting spree that killed one and injured two others in Silay City, Negros Occidental, on July 10.

Police Lt. Col. Mark Anthony Darroca, chief of the Silay City Police Station, said the complaint was filed before the City Prosecutor’s Office against a suspect known as “RR,” a resident of Barangay Canlusong, E.B. Magalona town.

The case stemmed from the death of a 52-year-old electric bike driver who died in a hospital two days after the shooting.

The victim, identified only as “Fernando,” was shot in the abdomen while sitting on his e-bike in Barangay Lantad, police said.

Darroca added that charges of frustrated murder will also be filed against the suspect once the medical abstracts of the two surviving victims are released.

A 47-year-old security guard and a 45-year-old amusement park employee were injured in the separate attacks in Barangays Lantad and Rizal.

Both are recovering in separate hospitals.

RR surrendered to authorities Friday night with the help of his family.

He was allegedly driving the motorcycle used by his accomplice, who carried out the shootings.

The gunman, identified as 34-year-old “Mark,” a resident of Cadiz City and a known drug personality, was killed in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Burgos, Cadiz City, on July 11.

RR claimed he had no knowledge of Mark’s plans and apologized for the incident.