A FORMER political personality was shot dead by still unidentified suspects in Tagalogan village, Ozamiz City on Wednesday morning, November 16.
Witnesses identified the victim as Roland Romero, former Ozamiz city vice mayor who also became a member of the Misamis Occidental provincial board member.
According to Wendell Talibong, a radio commentator based in Ozamiz, Romero was shot by four persons on board two motorcycles as he stepped out after making a cash withdrawal transaction from a pawnshop with money remittance services.
Initial reports indicated that the assailants shot Romero at close range.
Investigators found six spent shells from a .45 caliber pistol at the crime scene.
Talibong said Romero was shot in the head and other parts of his body and died on the spot.
Information provided by resident Manuel Ronquillo stated that Romero entered the pawnshop at about 9 a.m. and was there for 20 minutes.
As Romero walked out of the pawnshop, motorcycle-riding gunmen approached him and sprayed him bullets.
Ronquillo said Romero’s driver heard the gunshots but only noticed his employer was shot when he got out of the car to check the commotion.
Police Officer 1 Alvin Calingasan, of the Ozamiz City police, said their office received a call from a concerned citizen that someone was shot minutes after the incident happened.
Calingasan said investigators are still conducting forensic examination at the crime scene, adding they have yet to establish the motive of the killing.
It can be recalled that Romero figured in a controversy when he allegedly assaulted a group of TV crew and had their gear destroyed when they tried to interview him during election period in 2013. At the time Romero ran for city mayor but lost.