BACOLOD City – Policemen here have not yet named any suspects in the fatal shooting of Ricky Serenio – a self-confessed bagman of the Berya drug group.
Bacolod City Police Office director Colonel Henry Biñas said they are looking into Serenio’s illegal drug links as the closest possible motive behind the killing.
Serenio, according to Biñas, has been actively engaging in the illegal drug trade based on the recent monitoring.
“The investigation is still ongoing. Once the case will be established, we will file case against those responsible for his murder,” he said.
On Aug. 31, three unidentified motorcycle-riding men peppered Serenio with bullets along Araneta highway in Barangay Pahanocoy.
Serenio, who was with a male companion, was driving a car and reportedly came from a residential subdivision in the neighboring Barangay Tangub when the three suspects fired at him.
Serenio was able to drive away for several meters from the suspects, but crashed with a truck, which also hit a passenger jeepney and a motorcycle. The incident caused a traffic jam in the area. At least five persons were reportedly injured in the accident but they were all discharged from the hospital due to minor injuries.
Meanwhile, Biñas said two men were now considered as “persons of interest.”
They were 30-year-old Allan Bustamante of Mabuhay 2, Toboso, Negros Occidental and 30-year-old Joemar Dumip-ig of Purok Boulevard, Barangay 14 – who were found hiding at the back of the residential village. They were confined in a hospital due to gunshot wounds on the leg and ankle.
Biñas added that they are still establishing the involvement of Bustamante and Dumip-ig in the case.
“We have a presumption that they are involved in the case, pero ang evidence naton indi pa gid mapag-on. We are still gathering more evidences just in case mag-file kita kaso sa korte,” he explained.
Biñas, however, clarified that Bustamante and Dumip-ig were not considered as suspects yet.
“They are (Bustamante and Dumip-ig) in the custody of BCPO for their safety and security while the investigation is ongoing,” he said. “We have coordinated with the Negros Occidental Provincial Police Office (Nocppo) to check their background.”
Nocppo director Colonel Romeo Baleros earlier disclosed that Bustamante had availed a plea bargaining and he was released from jail on Aug. 29 after he was arrested on a buy bust operation last year.
According to Baleros, Bustamante is associated with a certain “Kabug-ang” crime group and is also one of the persons of interest for various shooting incidents in Toboso municipal police station.
“We are awaiting the result of cross matching of the firearms recovered to find out whether these shooting incidents are somehow linked,” Baleros said./PN
