A WOMAN was gunned down by an unidentified assailant on Spolarium St. in Sitio Panaghiusa, Barangay Duljo-Fatima, Cebu City on Saturday afternoon, Sept. 10, 2022.

Patrolman Glendale Cabañero of the Mambaling Police Station identified the victim as Riza Barbosa, a 19-year-old resident of Sitio Nava, Barangay Mambaling, in the same city. He said Barbosa was originally from Barangay Duljo- Fatima.

He said she was arrested in August for playing “hantak,” an illegal coin game and was just released two weeks ago.

Cabañero said members of the Emergency Medical Services who arrived at the scene found a gunshot wound in her back.

Based on his initial investigation, Barbosa was sitting when a man approached her and suddenly shot her several times.

One bullet hit and injured a bystander, who is yet to be identified.

He said the gunman then calmly walked away and headed to Sitio Bayotan as if nothing happened.

Dishonest drug runner

According to talks, the victim procured shabu for a living but had been known to replace the illegal drugs with salt.

Cabañero said members of the Scene of the Crime Operation recovered five bullets from what looked like a .45 pistol from the scene.

Police, who have yet to identify the gunman, are looking at the victim’s alleged involvement in the illegal drugs trade and personal grudge as possible motives for her killing.