Winning kagawad shot dead in Pitalo

CEBU, Philippines — A newly re-elected barangay councilor of Bulacao, Talisay City was shot dead by unidentified motor-riding suspects in Barangay Pitalo, San Fernando, Cebu late afternoon Thursday.

Police Officer 2 Erwin Oyao, case investigator, identified the victim as Dennis Ramos, 43, who ranked 7th among the new set of Bulacao councilors elected during Monday’s polls.

Ramos was about to open the door of his vehicle parked in front of his hardware store in Pitalo when the suspects arrived and shot him several times.  He and his wife personally manage the business.

“Ninaog ni ang angkas sa motor ug gipusil sa kadaghang higayon ang biktima nga aduna lang unta’y ibutang sa iyang sakyanan,” Oyao told The FREEMAN.

Ramos suffered four gunshot wounds – two on his chest and one each on his arms – which resulted to his death.

Police recovered a total of seven empty shells of caliber .45 and a deformed slug in the area.

Oyao said there is a big possibility that there were spotters in the area considering how fast the assailants staged the killing.

“Mao na karon ang atong gitan-aw kung basin naay spotter sa palibot. Atong gipangutana ang mga witnesses sa area pero wa man daw sila’y nabantayan nga kadudahan nga tawo sa palibot atong panahona,” Oyao said.

The suspects allegedly fled to direction of Cebu City.

Witnesses, including the employees of the victim, told the police that the suspects were wearing helmets so they failed to see their facial features.

“Duha ka CCTV ang naa sa tindahan facing north and south so makuha gyud niya tanan. Hopefully makatabang sa atong imbestigasyon,” Oyao said.

Ramos’ shooting will be among the cases the newly-installed chief of police in San Fernando, Senior Inspector Arvi Arbuis, hopes to resolve immediately.

Arbuis said they are looking into all possible angles in their investigation.

“Ongoing pa ang investigation and ato gitan-aw nga factors para sa pag-determine sa motibo,” he said in a phone interview.

Meanwhile, Cebu Provincial Police Office Director Senior Superintendent Manuel Javier Abrugena said he already directed San Fernando police to conduct a thorough investigation regarding the incident to identify and arrest the perpetrators.

When asked whether the shooting could be considered election-related, Abrugena responded that they were not discounting such possibility. However, he added that it’s too early to speculate at this stage.

“May parameters po tayong sinusunod para masabi na ang incident ay election-related. Ang pag-determine nito ay binubuo rin ng ibat-ibang committte katulad ng Comelec at police. Before we can conclude na ito ay election-related ay dapat ay iisa ang desisyon ng committee and so far, hindi pa natin ito maku-consider dahil di pa natin alam ang motive,” said Abrugena.

For his part, Police Regional Office-7 Director Chief Superintendent Robert Quenery said that with the recent series of shooting incidents in Central Visayas, including the province of Cebu, he has ordered all the station commanders to intensify crime prevention efforts and checkpoints.

It can be recalled that two shooting incidents transpired in Minglanilla, the neighboring town of San Fernando, in just span of 17 hours on Wednesday and Thursday.

In Lapu-Lapu City, two men were also killed by riding-in-tandem suspects within a span of 12 hours starting on Monday.

“I directed all of our station commanders down to ensure that this will be stopped. Intensify crime prevention efforts and checkpoints. Dapat hindi nangyayri to dahil nasa election period pa tayo,” said Quenery. — JMD (FREEMAN)