A BUSINESSMAN was injured after being shot by motorcycle-riding assailants around 8 p.m. Sunday, October 19, 2025, at the new market in Barangay Poblacion Ward 1, Minglanilla town.
The victim was identified as Jerwin Lauron Bacaro, 38, a resident of Sitio Tabay, Barangay Tunghaan, Minglanilla, who sustained a gunshot wound to the left side of his neck that exited through his right cheek, caused by an unidentified firearm caliber.
He was first brought to the Minglanilla District Hospital but was later transferred to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City, where he is now in stable condition.
Based on police investigation, before the shooting occurred, two men on amotorcycle were seen by witnesses loitering near the victim’s chicken lechon stall in the market.
When the victim arrived and was sitting outside his store, the assailants approached on their motorcycle. One of them got off and immediately shot the victim.
The assailants then fled toward Talisay City while the victim was rushed to Minglanilla District Hospital and later transferred to Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center.
However, reports said the assailants figured in two separate road accidents along the national highway in Barangay Linao-Lipata.
First, they collided with a vehicle, and shortly after, they hit and ran over a pedestrian. Despite these accidents, they managed to speed away toward Maghaway in Talisay City.
A manhunt operation is ongoing by the Minglanilla Police Station to track down the two men.
Investigators recovered one empty shell from a .45 caliber firearm at the crime scene, which will be subjected to ballistic examination by the PNP Forensic Unit 7.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Maria Theresa Macatangay, chief of the Minglanilla Municipal Police Station, confirmed that the victim is now in stable condition.
As of Monday afternoon, October 20, Macatangay said they have yet to determine the motive behind the attack and are waiting for the victim’s full recovery so he can provide a statement.
The Minglanilla Police are now coordinating with the Talisay City Police Station to identify the gunmen, who are believed to be hiding in one of the barangays in Talisay City.
“Gabie pa lang when it happened, nag flash alarma na ta. Nag coordinate na ta with the kasikbit police stations through our TOC and everyone is on look already sa atoang gipangita nga personalities and vehicle base sa descriptions nga nakuha nato,” said Macatangay.
(Right after it happened, we issued a flash alarm and coordinated with nearby police stations through our Tactical Operations Center. Everyone is now on the lookout for the personalities and the motorcycle based on the descriptions we gathered.)
She also urged witnesses to the hit-and-run incident to cooperate with authorities to help gather more evidence and identify the motorcycle-riding gunmen responsible for the crime. (AYB)