ILOILO City – The Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) will create a team focused on solving two killings perpetrated by motorcycle-riding gunmen.
The team would be composed of “expert” intelligence officers and investigators, said Senior Superintendent Martin Defensor, city police director.
The two killings to be investigated were that of 39-year-old Don Azucena of Barangay North Baluarte, Molo district and 41-year-old Rolando Puda Jr. of Barangay Ingore, La Paz district.
The men, both drug surrenderers, were shot to death on Sept. 7.
“The team would endeavor to identify the gunmen,” said Defensor yesterday.
The lack of witnesses was making it difficult for the police to solve the killings, he stressed.
Azucena was attacked while waiting to catch a jeepney in Zone 5, Barangay Calumpang, Molo around 9:26 a.m.
Several hours after, Puda was peppered with bullets outside his house in Barangay Ingore, La Paz.
Defensor said early this month he would increase the number of policemen on the streets and set up more police checkpoints with particular focus on those driving motorcycles.
Unsolved killings could reflect badly on the city’s peace and order situation, said Defensor.
Both Mayor Jose Espinosa III and the Sangguniang Panlungsod issued statements of concern over the spate of killings in the city.
“If crimes solutions are ineffective, there is failure or breakdown in our peace and order,” said Councilor Armand Parcon, chairperson of the committee on communication and public information. “This brings anxiety to many of us.”/PN
