By: Dolly Yasa
BACOLOD City – A self-confessed bagman of the Berya Drug Syndicate was gunned down by three riding-in-tandem suspects along the highway of Barangay Pahanocoy here afternoon of Aug 1, 2019.
Ricky Serenio was on his way to Pulupandan, Negros Occidental when he was waylaid by the suspects on two motorcycles at around 4 p.m. Saturday.
Serenio was declared dead on arrival at the South Bacolod Hospital here, a few meters away from the crime scene, due to multiple gunshot wounds.
Police investigation indicated that Serenio was riding a Mitsubishi Mirage sedan when he was shot by three motorcycle-riding suspects.
Police officers who were conducting patrol operations near the crime scene arrested two of the suspects who tried to hide inside Garden Ville Subdivision.
The arrested suspects were Joemar Dumip-ig, 30, of Brgy. 14, Bacolod City; and Allan Bustamante, 30, of Brgy. Mabuhay 2, Toboso, Negros Occ.
One suspect is still at-large.
Amay Serenio, a brother of Ricky, told Aksyon Radyo that the victim ate lunch at their house in Brgy. Singcang Airport.
On his way back to Pulupandan, Serenio picked up a friend at Manville Subdivision and was going out of the subdivision when shot.
The suspects concentrated their shots on the driver’s side and hit Serenio’s head, shoulders and body.
Serenio tried to evade the attack by swerving to the opposite lane which led to a pileup involving two more vehicles.
The suspects tried to flee from pursuing officers and even left their motorcycles on the roadside.
Serenio hogged the headlines in 2017 when he came out and admitted to be the bagman of alleged drug lord Berya Tolentino.
He also claimed that 35 police officers in Negros Island were in the payroll of the Berya Drug Group and even implicated prominent public officials such as Senators Mar Roxas and Franklin Drilon.
He also linked former Iloilo City mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog to the drug trade.
Serenio, who faced charges for grave coercion, illegal possession of firearms and explosives, was arrested by police operatives in Silay City but was released on a P720,000 bail.
He was then placed in the custody of former Moises Padilla town mayor Magdaleno Peña and his son Pulupandan Mayor Miguel Peña.
Serenio has since then stayed in the town of Pulupandan.
In 2017, Serenio’s father and brother were killed by armed suspects.
Amay Serenio appealed to his brother’s attackers to stop as they already eliminated him (Ricky).
“Pabay-e nyo na kami, napatay nyo na sia (Ricky), gusto na namun sang matawhay nga pangabuhi,” Amay said.
