A SELF-CONFESSED bagman of an illegal drugs syndicate was shot to death by riding-in-tandem suspects at Araneta Highway in Barangay Pahanocoy, Bacolod City Saturday.
Police identified the fatality as Ricky Serenio, 37, of Barangay Singcang-Airport, Bacolod.
Per police investigation, prior to the incident, Serenio visited his family at Barangay Singcang-Airport for lunch.
Before heading home to the town of Pulupandan, he first picked up his friend identified only by his alias as "Clyde" at the Manville Royale Subdivision.
As Serenio was making a turn to the south on board his Mitsubishi Mirage vehicle, three gunmen in two motorcycles blocked them and opened fire at Serenio's vehicle.
Serenio and his friend attempted to flee from the suspects, but they crashed a few meters away from where they were ambushed.
The gunshots also caused alarm and resulted some of the motorist to ram into each other.
Serenio was rushed to the South Bacolod General Hospital, although he was declared dead on arrival after succumbing to multiple gunshot wounds to the head, abdomen, and upper back
Two persons of interest were arrested in the area identified as Joemar Dumip-ig, 30, of Barangay 14, Bacolod City; and Allan Bustamante, 30, of Barangay Mabuhay, 2, Toboso, Negros Occidental.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Ariel Pico, spokesperson of Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) said Dumip-ig and Bustamante were seen in the area with gunshot wounds. Both of them were brought to the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital.
Pico said, “We cannot conclude yet that Dumip-ig and Bustamante are responsible in the killing of the Serenio because we don’t have evidence or witnesses to testify that they killed the victim. But, as of now, they are under police custody and they were transferred to a private hospital while the investigation is on-going,” he added.
An innocent bystander, a minor, was also hit by a stray bullet during the incident, although it is reported that his wounds were not life threatening.
Police recovered from scene of the crime several empty shells of unidentified firearms.
“We are conducting further investigation with the responding police officers of Police Station 8 and Mobile Patrol Group to determine if Dumi-ig and Bustamante are really involve in the killing of Serenio,” he said.
Pico noted they also recovered from Serenio’s vehicle a notebook or list of persons with corresponding amount.
The police are eyeing drug related, retaliation or personal grudges as possible motive in the killing of the victim.
Following the incident, Serenio's younger brother Mark John, said they believe the suspects are the same individuals involved in the killing of their other sibling Wilmar and their father, Wilfredo in 2017.
Serenio's other sibling, Biboy, meanwhile appealed on those responsible for the attacks on their family to stop chasing them down.
In 2017, Serenio admitted that he’s a bag man of a drug syndicate and delivering drug bribes to several police officers, local officials, and other government agencies. He dropped several names of police officers, politicians and even media practitioners whom he claimed allegedly receiving drug money.
In the same year, Serenio’s brother Wilmar was also killed by unidentified assailants in Barangay Singcang-Airport then, the next month their father Wilfredo was also killed outside their house in said village.