BACOLOD City – Two men were fatally shot in the downtown area on Araneta Street, Barangay 15, Bacolod City, in the early hours of Friday.
The victims were identified by the police as Nobert Aguda and Kenneth Jamandre, residents of the city’s Barangay 35 and Barangay 16, respectively.
According to police investigation and witness accounts, the victims were walking along Araneta Street around 1 a.m. when two unidentified individuals on a motorcycle stopped and opened fire.
Major Elmer Bonilla, the commander of Police Station 1, said the assailants fled the scene immediately after the shooting.
The victims were declared dead on the spot by the responding officers and paramedics.
At the crime scene, police recovered eight .45 caliber shells. Additionally, a screwdriver and pliers were found inside the victims’ bag.
A background check revealed that Aguda and Jamandre were suspects in a series of home burglaries recorded in various police units across the city.
In response to this incident and a recent spike in crime, Colonel Noel Aliño, the director of Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO), has ordered an intensification of police efforts to solve these crimes.
Lieutenant Colonel Ronnie Brillo, spokesperson for the BCPO, said police patrols, especially during the night and early morning, will be increased.
Brillo also noted that many recent shooting incidents in the city are linked to illegal drug activities. (Watchmen Daily Journal/PN)
