THE Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) is considering the angle of land conflict as motive in the ambush on Councilor Ricardo Tan and his wife in Barangay Alangilan last week.
Chief Inspector Sherlock Gabana, public information officer of BCPO, said after a case conference Tuesday, December 18, that the land conflict angle was included in their investigation after learning about the previous issue on the purchase of the land, where Tan’s Campuestohan Highland Resort is situated in Talisay City.
He refused, however, to elaborate further pending investigation.
Gabana said police are exploring all angles like business, personal, and land conflict.
“We’re still studying if who’s behind the ambush and what triggered them to commit the crime,” he added.
Gabana said they do not have concrete evidence yet that could determine the motive.
He said the city police force is also planning to talk to Tan for additional details that may help in their investigation.
Police have no lead yet on the identities of the perpetrators, despite the description given by the couple.
A request for a cartographic sketch is on the process from Police Regional Office.
On December 14, the couple was on their way to Bacolod from Campuestohan when they were waylaid by three armed men on board a white wagon type of vehicle.
The three assailants released rapid gunfire to the official’s vehicle, a Nissan Patrol, which hit the windshield.
Both victims managed to survive the rapid fire but were injured after they sustained abrasions from the broken glass window of the car.
Police recovered 24 empty shells of caliber 5.56, seven empty shells of caliber .45, and seven fired bullets of an M16 rifle from the crime scene.
The National Bureau of Investigation-Bacolod is also conducting a separate investigation on the case. They are studying the angle of business rivalry. (GYM)