A businessman was shot to death by two unidentified assailants on board a vehicle at Sofia Street, Barangay Estefania, Bacolod City at about 4:15 a.m. Thursday, April 18.
Police identified the fatality as Elson Casalan Cepeda, a resident of East Homes 2, Barangay Estefania.
Captain Francis Depasucat, commander of Police Station 4, said the victim bought some food in a convenience store, and when he was about to return to his SUV vehicle parked in the area, two unidentified men, who were armed with unidentified firearms, fired at him several times.
He said the victim sustained multiple gunshot wounds while his wife, who was inside the car was unhurt.
He added the victim was brought to the Riverside Medical Center, but he did not survive, while the suspects, who were on board a sedan vehicle, also fled in the south direction.
Police recovered from the scene several empty shells of short and long firearms.
Depasucat noted that the victim was operating a bar in Bacolod City.
He said there’s a possibility that the suspects tailed the victim and killed him in the area.
“It’s well-planned to him in the area. The suspects already monitored his activities,” he added.
The police are looking into personal grudges or business-related motives in the killing of the victim.
Depasucat said they would coordinate with the business establishments in the area to check the closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera to determine the identity of the suspects.
He said they are also waiting for the family of the victim to determine if Cepeda was receiving threats before the incident.
Depasucat also urged those who may know about the killing to surface to identify the suspects.*