BACOLOD City – An ambush believed to be targeting a lawyer killed his car driver in Barangay Matab-ang, Talisay City, Negros Occidental.
Bullets that pierced the driver’s side of their gray Porsche hit Efren Palmares, a former police officer, said Superintendent Boots Aseo, head of the Talisay City police station.
Palmares worked for Atty. Erfie Del Castillo, a legal counsel for businessman Francis Cabuga, owner of Metro Inn on 6th Street, Barangay 7 here.
The ambush happened at around 11 p.m. on Friday at an intersection along the circumferential road in Barangay Matab-ang.
Police have yet to identify a suspect in the ambush as of press time.
Del Castillo, who was on the passenger’s seat, and his driver just came from the Bacolod-Silay Airport at the time of the attack.
Palmares sustained multiple gunshot wounds on the body, while the lawyer was hit on the shoulder.
Both were taken to the Dr. Pablo O. Torre Memorial Hospital where Palmares expired.
From what investigators have so far gathered, the attackers may have thought Del Castillo was driving the Porsche.
Talisay City police were still investigating the incident. They have yet to determine the motive as well.
Scene of the Crime Operatives recovered four fired cartridges of a 5.56 mm firearm and eight fired cartridges of a 9mm pistol.
Cabuga himself made news recently after a feud between him and wife Catherine resulted in a standoff at Metro Inn on the evening of Nov. 19.
Because of this, the Bacolod City Police Office temporarily condoned off a portion of 6th Street where the accommodation establishment was located – causing traffic jams in adjacent streets.
The area was reopened past 5 p.m. on Nov. 20.
Locals took to social media to complain about the inconvenience the incident has caused – particularly customers who had no entry way and access to nearby business establishments.
Cabuga apologized for the inconvenience but the police maintained that they cordoned off the area for security reasons./PN
