ILOILO City – Motorcycle-riding gunmen shot to death a village watchman in Barangay Calubihan, Jaro district yesterday morning. The victim turned himself in to the police as a drug pusher in August 2017 and underwent rehabilitation.
The 38-year-old Niel Agustin Resma was cleaning his motorcycle by the roadside near the barangay hall around 9:15 a.m. when sprayed with bullets on the head and body.
He was a high-value target and originally a resident of Barangay Bakhaw, Mandurriao district, said Chief Inspector Tranquilino Querubin, Jaro police chief.
Citing security camera footages, Querubin said the riding-in-tandem assassins entered Barangay Calubihan from El 98 Street, Jaro and escaped through Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr. Avenue (Diversion Road) after killing Resma.
The one driving the motorcycle wore a helmet while the back rider who fired at Resma concealed his face with a bonnet, according to Querubin.
Resma was taken to the Western Visayas Medical Center in Mandurriao district where he was pronounced dead around 10:20 a.m., said Barangay Kagawad Rammy Guintibano.
“I knew he was a drug surrenderer in Barangay Bakhaw but I have no idea if he completed his rehabilitation,” said Guintibano.
As a barangay tanod of Calubihan, Resma was “active”, said Guintibano.
“He was a nightshift village watchman and a construction worker during daytime,” said Guintibano, former barangay captain of Calubihan.
The victim had no known enemies in Barangay Calubihan, he added.
Resma moved to Barangay Calubihan because his wife was a resident of the village, said Guintibano.
As of this writing the Jaro police had not named a suspect but was leaning toward the angle that this was a drug-related killing.PN
