Woman who visited partner in jail shot dead

By: Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – A woman was gunned down by two unidentified men on a motorcycle outside the Metro Bacolod District Jail -Special Intensive Care Area (MBDJ-Sica) after she visited her partner at the jail along Magsaysay Avenue, Barangay Singcang-Airport here Sunday.

Killed was Cristal Faith Jastiva, 24, a native of Bago City, but temporarily staying in a boarding house at Helvetia Heights here.

Police Major Charles Gever, head of Police Station 8, however, said the victim was also using the name of Ashly Kate Gonzaga based on the Identification cards recovered from her possession.

Gever said the victim arrived at the jail around 11 a.m. and visited her partner Kirby Andrada who was jailed last month after he was arrested in a buy-bust at Barangay Mansilingan.

While she was waiting for a pedicab around 3:10 p.m., the assailants arrived, shot her at close range then fled.

Police recovered from the scene the victim’s personal belongings, and slugs of still undetermined caliber, and identification cards.

The victim died on the spot due to head injuries.

Gever said they are eyeing illegal drugs as the possible motive behind the killing because of her partner’s involvement in the illegal drugs.

Gever said they are also probing the victim’s background to confirm her identity.

Gever also said they are checking copy of closed circuit television (CCTV) camera footage installed in a nearby hotel for the possible identification of the gunmen.

Gever said they have yet to identify the assailants, though police have intercepted two men on a motorcycle at the area of Police Station 9, who attempted to evade a police checkpoint.

Investigation is still ongoing.