- SHIELA G. GELERA
The five shooting incidents in Bacolod City this month were not connected and just transpired as separate cases, the city police chief said.
PCol. Manuel Placido, director of Bacolod City Police Office, said Tuesday Feb. 23, that the incidents were not related since each one has different circumstances and motives.
During the same period last year, there were also five shooting incidents in Bacolod, he added.
The latest victim was a tricycle driver, who was shot dead while having dinner in his house in Purok Linya, Barangay Cabug Monday night, Feb. 22.
The victim was identified as Eduardo Cataraja, 55, the police report said.
Eight fired cartridges of caliber. 45 and a fired cartridge of caliber 5.56 were recovered from the scene of the incident.
Neighbors told the police that they heard five gunshots and saw three armed men in hoodies and face masks walking away.
The police are now looking into the alleged connection of Cataraja to the Epogon robbery group.
A day before the Cabug shooting, a woman riding a tricycle was gunned down at the South Capitol Road in Barangay 8.
The victim was identified as Medelyn Benignos, 29, of Barangay 2.
PLt. Andy Ofalia, deputy commander of Police Station 2, said that Benignos’ former “boss” was the slain drug personality, whose body was found in Barangay Mandalagan, Bacolod in 2019.
On February 3, Angelica Montalbo, 23, was shot and killed by an armed man inside a car, near a residential subdivision in Barangay Tangub.
On February, 9, a man was also killed, while another one was injured when unidentified suspects on a motorcycle fired at them in Purok Lampirong, Barangay 2.
Also, another man was killed, and his live-in partner wounded when armed men entered their rented house and shot them in Purok Sigay, Barangay 2 on February 16. – SGG
