BACOLOD City Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran appealed to any witnesses on the ambush of Councilor Ricardo Tan and his wife Nita to give a statement to the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO).
Familiaran said Monday, December 17, the police are also looking for a witness who can help them solve the crime.
“We are appealing to any witness who can help our police to identify the suspects,” he said.
On Friday night, December 14 the couple came from Campuestohan Highland Resort, which they owned, in Talisay City when they were waylaid by three assailants who were on board a white wagon type vehicle in Barangay Alangilan.
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.
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.
Familiaran said he talked to Senior Superintendent Francisco Ebreo, acting director of BCPO, on Sunday, December 16, and they are still investigating the case.
He said the Scene of the Crime Operatives recovered an additional seven empty shells of .45 caliber from the crime scene.
Familiaran pointed out that all the peacekeeping forces should address this problem because it involved a public servant.
He said that they condemned the act of treachery that happened to Tan and his wife.
The vice mayor said the BCPO should intensify its visibility patrol and checkpoint operations in various areas.
Councilor Caesar Distrito, chairperson of the City Council committee on laws, earlier said that violence has no place in Bacolod.
“For whatever reasons, there is no justification to take or attempt the life of another person. 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,” he said.
He added 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.