BACOLOD City – The city government, the Filipino-Chinese community, and the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) will convene today, September 11, to address safety and security concerns following the broad daylight killing of businessman and contractor Romy Li.
Li, 52, a civil engineer and former president of the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers in Negros Occidental, was gunned down on September 9 while opening his hardware store along Bonifacio Street, Barangay 12.
Mayor Greg Gasataya said he called the meeting with BCPO director Colonel Joeresty Coronica and leaders of the local Filipino-Chinese community to assure them of the city’s commitment to peace and order.
“Let it be unequivocally stated that Bacolod City maintains zero tolerance for violence. There shall be no leniency and no refuge for those who seek to disrupt the safety and peace of our city,” the mayor stressed, adding that the local government extends its condolences to Li’s family and pledges support as the investigation continues.
Coronica confirmed that authorities have identified the suspect, who has a standing warrant of arrest for attempted homicide and violation of Republic Act 10591 (Illegal Possession of Firearms and Ammunition). He is also tagged as an alleged gun-for-hire.
The suspect, police said, was previously arrested but managed to post bail and later failed to attend court hearings, which led to the issuance of his warrant. Witnesses positively identified him from photographs shown by investigators.
At the crime scene, police recovered two spent shells and a slug from Li’s head. Coronica described the ammunition used as a “special hollow point bullet” — the first of its kind encountered since he assumed office.
Investigators also learned that the suspect had been loitering in the area prior to the attack, while an old-model Montero Sport without a plate number was seen nearby and is believed to have been the getaway vehicle.
Captain Francis Depasucat, commander of Police Station 1, said Li was not only a contractor but also a supplier of construction materials to other builders. Investigators are still determining whether his projects were tied to private clients or government undertakings.
Authorities were looking into possible motives, including a business-related conflict or a personal grudge.
“There could be someone behind this killing. That is what we need to dig deeper into, and we will coordinate with Li’s family for more details,” Coronica said.
A Special Investigation Team composed of Police Station 1, the City Intelligence Unit, and the City Investigation and Detective Unit has been formed to conduct backtracking and forward-tracking operations to trace the getaway vehicle and identify possible cohorts of the gunman.
Police were also considering whether Li’s family or the Filipino-Chinese community might offer a reward for information leading to the suspect’s arrest./PN
