Two persons killed in shooting episodes

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – Two persons were killed in separate shooting incidents here and in Negros Occidental on Feb. 17 and 19.

In Moises Padilla town, a member of the Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (Cafgu) was shot by an unidentified person during a fiesta in Barangay Guinpanaan yesterday.

Police identified the victim as Bon Cadigal, 42, of Barangay Quintin Remo.

Police Major Jovito Bose, Moises Padilla town police chief, said that Cadigal was allegedly drunk and was being playful while watching a certain game.

“Basi bala na trippingan siya kay ga sinabad kay hubog, may nangakig siguro,” he added.

The victim suffered a gunshot wound in the head and was declared dead on arrival at a hospital.

Bose said they already have a person of interest in the case.

Meanwhile, a man who was previously jailed for a drug offense was also shot by four persons at Charito Heights Subdivision in Barangay Granada here last Friday.

The victim was identified as Harold John Suarez, 37, of Barangay Mansilingan here.

Police Captain Francis Depasucat, head of Police Station 5, said the victim was released after a plea bargaining agreement.

Depasucat said the victim was drinking at a sari-sari store when the suspects approached him and allegedly shot him, based on a statement of a witness.

The suspects then fled on board a sports utility vehicle (SUV).

Depasucat said the get-away vehicle was recovered yesterday in a parking lot of a hotel here, but the firearm was missing.

The vehicle was rented by the suspects from the family of the victim’s live-in partner, as they are working as sales representatives for cigarettes here.

Depasucat said the suspects were identified through their identification cards recovered from their personal belongings that were left in the car. He added that they will check a copy of the establishment’s closed-circuit television (CCTV).

He identified them as Mart John Espole, Mark Espole, Rodzel Espole, and Arnold Jaurege. He said they are probing the relationship of the three suspects.

Depasucat said they are looking into jealousy as a motive in the killing since the victim was allegedly jealous of the four suspects who are customers of his live-in partner as a home service massage therapist.

He believed that the suspects may have left the city, as they are reportedly from Iloilo.