THE Bacolod City Council condemned the Friday night ambush of their colleague, Councilor Ricardo Tan, and his wife in Barangay Alangilan.
Councilor Caesar Distrito, chairperson of the City Council committee on laws, said on Sunday, December 16, that violence has no place in Bacolod.
“For whatever reasons, there is no justification to take or attempt the life of another person,” he said.
Distrito pointed out that every Bacolodnon should have the courage to stand against violence and condemn it to the highest degree.
“As floor leader of the City Council, I believe that my fellow councilors are also condemning such cowardly act,” he said.
Senior Superintendent Francisco Ebreo, acting director of Bacolod City Police Office, earlier said the couple came from Campuestohan Highland Resort, which they owned, in Talisay City when they were waylaid by three assailants who were onboard a white wagon type vehicle.
The assailants released a rapid gunfire to the official’s vehicle, and left 22 bullet holes at the front part of the vehicle and another 13 at the rear.
Ebreo said both victims managed to survive the rapid fire and were able to drive to Police Station 5 in Barangay Granada where the city official asked for police assistance on their way to the hospital in Bacolod City.
“The police should do everything in their power to bring into the bar of justice the perpetrators of this crime against Councilor Tan and his wife,” Distrito said.
He said the challenge is with the law enforcement agencies to solve this spate of killings and attempted killings so that the peace in Bacolod will return to normalcy.
Councilor Ann Marie Palermo said they were shocked, adding that it was alarming.
She said it is a new challenge to the city police to identify the perpetrators.
Palermo also urged the public to be vigilant.