By Felipe V. Celino
ROXAS CITY, Capiz – Police suspect that illegal drugs may have been the motive behind the broad daylight killing of a known drug personality on Thursday noon, August 15, in Barangay Punta Tabuc.
Police Master Sergeant Ramil Arcangeles, Roxas City PNP spokesperson, stated that there is a strong possibility that the killing of 32-year-old Kashmir Bacaro, a resident of Barangay Maloloc Norte, Ivisan, Capiz, was drug-related.
Bacaro was shot by one of two unidentified suspects around 12:40 p.m. while having lunch at his live-in partner’s house in Barangay Punta Tabuc, Roxas City.
The victim sustained gunshot wounds to the left side of his head and chest.
Police investigation revealed that Bacaro was seen talking on his cellphone on the road, as captured by a CCTV camera provided by the city government.
A few minutes later, two suspects riding tandem on a motorcycle arrived.
The back rider dismounted, hurriedly proceeded to the victim’s location, and after about 10 seconds, returned to the waiting motorcycle.
The two suspects then fled in an unknown direction.
Bacaro was rushed to the hospital but was declared dead on arrival by the attending doctor.
Arcangeles reported that Bacaro had been arrested and jailed three times for violating Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Bacaro’s first arrest occurred in 2016 in Barangay Punta Tabuc, where he was released after availing of a plea bargaining agreement.
His second arrest was in 2019 in Balasan, Iloilo, but he was released for reasons not specified.
In 2023, Bacaro was arrested again at his house in Maloloc Norte, Ivisan, through a search warrant conducted by Ivisan PNP. He was allegedly released after posting bail.
Meanwhile, police recovered a sachet of suspected shabu that Bacaro was reportedly holding before he was shot.
Also recovered from the crime scene were seven empty shells and a slug from a .45 caliber firearm.
The police are currently investigating the incident to identify and apprehend the suspects.
