By Jennifer P. Rendon
Another murder incident perpetrated by riding-in-tandem gunmen happened in Iloilo City anew.
The latest incident, the third in a span of nine days, was similar in circumstances and execution with the first two killings: it happened in Jaro district, the victim was a “drug personality,” and the suspects used a black scooter.
According to police reports, Jerome Emboltura, 45, of Barangay Jalandoni Wilson, City Proper district, Iloilo City was crossing Diversion Road in Barangay Sambag, Jaro, around 6:10 am on Dec 22, 2020 when two-motorcycle riding suspects approached him.
The back rider then pumped bullets into Emboltura’s head and other parts of his body.
The victim and his brother had just alighted from a passenger jeepney when the incident happened.
Emboltura was about to report to his work as a painter at a construction company when the incident happened. His brother was unscathed.
Emboltura was declared dead at Western Visayas Medical Center.
Last Dec 15, a suspected drug personality was also killed just two days after the murder of a hog trader.
Both incidents happened in Jaro district.
Elizer Galon, 31, of Barangay Tanza-Esperanza, City Proper district, Iloilo City, was repeatedly shot while outside a motorcycle shop at McArthur, Barangay M.V. Hechanova, Jaro.
Prior to that, Edranil Umadhay, a former barangay kagawad who was also implicated in illegal drug dealings, was also gunned down.
Meanwhile, Police Captain Mark Anthony Gesulga, Jaro police chief, said the latest victim was a drug surrenderer through Oplan Tokhang on July 7, 2016.
Gesulga said they have no records indicating that Emboltura returned to the illegal drug trade.
“His name was not on the list of re-Tokhang personalities,” he said.
Gesulga said they’re reviewing CCTV camera footages in areas where the suspects may have passed by while fleeing.
Investigators are still looking at other possible motives for the killing.
WV STILL SAFE
Amid the latest incident, Brigadier General Rolando Miranda, Western Visayas police chief, assured that Western Visayas is still safe.
“Safe naman talaga dito sa atin kumpara mo sa other regions. Na-highlight ang mga nangyari dahil nagkakaroon ng biktima ng MRS (motorcycle-riding suspects) but it doesn’t mean na hindi na safe dito,” he said.
Miranda said he studied the victimology of those involved in the MRS killings.
“Ito naman ay mga taong hindi kaaya-aya ang repustasyon sa komunidad. At itong mga taong ito ang nagbibigay ng danger sa publiko. Sila din ang nagbibigay panganib sa tao,” he said.
As such, the three incidents should not be misconstrued that the “peace-loving community of Panay is in danger because we won’t allow that.”
Given the background of the victims, Miranda said the public should not construe that government forces are behind the incidents.
“No, no. Mali ang ganoong notion eh. Kasi ikaw pag marami ka nang abuso sa katawan, marami kang abuso sa tao, marami kang abuso sa komunidad, hindi naman nangyayari yan sa ‘yo dahil gagawin sa ‘yo yan ng gobyerno,” he said.
Instead, Miranda claimed that it’s more of “revenge killings.”
“Marami ka ng pinerwisyong tao. Marami na ring nagalit sa ‘yong tao. Marami na rin ikaw sigurong nakalaban. Kaya yung sinasabi natin minsan na revenge. Ang revenge kasi hindi mo masasabi kung sino ang mag revenge sa ‘yo eh. Basta may inagrabyado kang tao, ‘pag may ginawa kang kasalanan sa ibang tao, gagantihan,” he said.
Miranda said it is hard for them to solve these incidents without the involvement of the community.
“It is very vital that we involve the community and the stakeholders in the investigation,” he said.
Miranda said lack of witnesses sometimes hinders them to solve the killings.
“That’s why, we hit the blank wall and the case went cold,” he said.
But he is confident that there would be brave people who could confidentially provide the needed information and report.
