Sympathizers of recent murder victims called on the police and military forces in Bohol to undertake preventive measures to intercept gun-wielding criminals.
With riding in tandem on the loose and loose firearms unaccounted, the public outcry is revival of checkpoints in strategic areas of the province.
There may be more than one group of guns-for-hire or individuals with loose firearms around Bohol who either peddle killings or subscribe to killing to get back at their foes.
In barely a week, three persons had already been killed by gun-wielding assailants.
The first was the murder of Atty. Mia Manuelita Mascari̱as-Green on February 15 in Tagbilaran City perpetrated by two sets of riding in tandem- Рprofessional killers ones.
The two other victims of murder were residents of barangay Putingbato, Buenavista.
In another handiwork of riding in tandem, Barangay Kagawad Ursolo Petalcorin of Putting Bato, Buenavista was shot several times at around 10 a.m. on February 20.
The municipal police station of Buenavista received the call from a concerned citizen about the incident where the 52-year-old barangay kagawad of Putting Bato, Buenavista was shot several times by two unidentified persons near a quarry in barangay Lapacan Norte in the same town.
Based on initial investigation, the victim came from the market in barangay Bugtong, Inabanga to convey a passenger and get some construction materials of his younger brother who was working there.
The victim was already on his way home, driving his motorcycle, when the two unidentified men, also riding a motorcycle, shot him.
The investigation also showed that the two men onboard a motorcycle was tailing the victim.
When the victim was about to turn left going to barangay Lapacan Norte near the quarry, the backrider among the riding in tandem shot him twice.
After being hit, the victim lost control on his motorcycle and rolled on the road.
The backrider who had shot him disembarked from their motorcycle and go near the victim and shot him again once.
The driver in the tandem also disembarked and followed the backrider, then shot the victim twice.
The two unidentified men then left and headed towards barangay Magkaya, Buenavista.
The victim sustained fatal gunshot wounds in the head, neck and chest causing his death.
The responding police team recovered five empty cartridges of caliber.45 bullets from the crime scene.
According to witnesses, the two unidentified men wrapped their faces with cloth and were riding a black Honda XRM with most of its accessories detached.
Investigators initially believe that Petalcorin’s assailants were the same persons who shot another resident in his barangay two days earlier.
The 36-year-old victim was identified as Jessie Versaga, also a resident of Barangay Putting Bato.
Versaga was found dead at around 6 a.m. on February 19, with gunshot wounds in the head and different parts of the body.
Investigation showed that one Michael Ramirez, a friend of the victim, dropped the victim off near the latter’s residence at around 7 p.m. on February 18.
They came from Sagbayan and went home together from Sagbayan.
Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) recovered nine empty shells of caliber .45 ammunitions.
Buenavista police learned that Versaga had been at odds with a friend and considered the latter’s grudge as the possible motive in the murder.
The police also said the possible assailant, also a resident of Buenavista, had been involved in other shooting incidents in the town in the past.
These and other killings in the past undertaken by riding in tandem fueled the public outcry for the police and military forces to resume the checkpoint routine in certain areas of the province and the aggressive crackdown against loose firearms.