Ex-Maritime cop shot dead

POLICE cordon the area where a former maritime policeman was shot to death by motorcycle-riding assailants at Barangay 4, Silay City, Negros Occidental Wednesday. (Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office photo)

By: Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – A former official of the Maritime Command of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Negros Occidental was gunned down by unidentified motorcycle-riding assailants at Barangay 4, Silay City Wednesday morning.

Slain was Jose Lindy Chan, 63, of Barangay 5. He previously served as a member of the PNP Maritime Command based in Cadiz City.

Investigation showed that Chan was talking to a friend when the armed persons arrived and the “back rider” allegedly repeatedly shot him.

The victim suffered four gunshot wounds and was brought to a hospital, where he was declared dead.

Recovered from the crime scene were nine fired cartridge cases of .45-caliber ammunition, four deformed slugs, and a slug jacket.

Police also recovered a helmet, jacket, and a bonnet at an adjacent subdivision, which were probably owned by the assailants.

Police Major Rollie Pondevilla, city police chief, said Chan, who was also a businessman and a former village chief, was previously ambushed at Barangay E. Lopez on board his pick-up truck but he survived.

Police are eyeing grudge related to his business as the possible motive, after learning he had been receiving threats.

Chan made headlines in 2008 after filing graft charges against a former mayor in Silay City and 26 other city hall employees for the P18 million computerization project of the city government.

Police investigation is ongoing for the identification and apprehension of the perpetrators.