A former barangay captain and his live-in partner sustained bullet wounds while on board a pickup in Bangga Tomaro, Barangay Sum-ag, Bacolod City, on Friday night, March 7, and died, a police official said Sunday, March 9.
The victims were Federico Hilado Gayagas Jr., 53, a former barangay captain of Bacong in Bago City, Negros Occidental, and Carmelita Mojica Davila, 44, of Barangay Sum-ag, Bacolod City, PCapt. Andy Ofalia, Bacolod Police Station 9 chief, said.
Davila died Friday night and Gayagas passed away on Saturday, he said.
Ofalia said witnesses thought the killing was perpetrated by persons on a motorcycle as gunshots were heard as they passed by the white Nissan Navara pickup.
However, on further investigation it was learned that the shooting came from within the vehicle as the bullets exited from inside, Ofalia said.
He said Gayagas who was driving the vehicle and Davila, who was in the front passenger’s seat, were the only people on board.
Davila sustained a bullet wound on the left side of her body and hand, while Gayagas had a gunshot wound on the head.
Ofalia said a 9 mm pistol and fired slugs were recovered from the vehicle.
Also recovered from the vehicle was an M-16 rifle and a loaded M-203 grenade launcher, and ammunition, Ofalia said.
Ofalia said their investigation shows that the couple had been fighting two days earlier. They were also allegedly fighting on Friday night, and Davila wanted Gayagas to leave their house, he added.
Ofalia said they are waiting for the results of the ballistics examination to determine how the shooting occurred and who pulled the trigger.
They have eliminated the possibility that it was an outside attack, he said.*