Man killed vigilante-style

A 21-YEAR-OLD man was shot dead by motorcycle-riding gunmen in broad daylight Saturday along Guillermo-Justo Ramonal Streets, Cagayan de Oro City.

The victim was identified as Marlon Gador, a native of Iligan City, who was shot by two still unidentified gunmen around 9:30 a.m.

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Based on initial police reports, the victim was walking with his live-in partner when two unidentified gunmen, who concealed their faces with helmets, appeared from behind and fired at the victim using a caliber .45 pistol.

Gador was hit on the head. He was still breathing when responding policemen arrived at the crime scene but was declared dead on arrival when rushed to hospital. The two suspects then fled aboard a blue motorcycle with no plate number.

Scene of the Crime Operations teams recovered one empty shell of a caliber .45 pistol.

Gador is the fourth victim of the motorcycle-riding gunmen since July 25. Last month alone, eight victims were killed in the same fashion.

Cogon Police Station had yet to determine the motive of the killing. But initial investigation showed that Gador was previously involved in a stabbing incident in Cogon market, which resulted in the death of the victim.

Before Gador was shot, a dead body of 40-year-old man identified as Eros Espanto of Purok 3, Barangay Puerto was found at Purok 7, Barangay Balubal at 5:45 a.m. last Saturday. Espanto sustained three gunshot wounds in his chest and face.

City Police Director Benedicto Lopez dismissed possibility that the so-called “vigilantes” had something to do with the series of extra-judicial killings in the city recently.

As of now, however, policemen are still clueless as to the identities of the suspects behind the killings. Some relatives of the victims alleged that the gunmen are members of the local police.

Police records also showed that most of the victims were “police characters” accused of various crimes in the city. (Annabelle L. Ricalde)