A 58-year-old woman was shot dead inside her rented room at a boarding house in Barangay Tawala, Panglao on Monday night, police said.

According to Captain Arnulfo Acilo, chief of the Panglao Police Station, victim Jennifer Cabunag died instantaneously after sustaining a gunshot wound in the head.

The gunman went inside the boarding house at around 7:30 p.m. and without provocation shot Cabunag point blank in front of her female housemate who was having dinner with her inside the rented room.

“Ang biktima naa ra nag abang sa first floor ug matud pa sa iyang kauban, abri ra daan ang purtahan sa [boarding house] pero naay kurtina unya ang suspek nangayo nangita sa anak sa biktima mao iyang gi wakli ang kurtina aron mo tan-aw kinsa, mao tong kalit raman na dunay ni boto unya nahagba ang biktima,” said Acilo.

The police chief said they are eyeing personal grudge as possible motive behind the fatal shooting.

Based on initial police investigation, the victim had been receiving threats from the suspect whose identity was withheld so as not jeopardize the ongoing investigation.

Cabunag’s live-in partner, who was at work during the shooting incident, told police that the victim received a death threat from the suspect hours prior to the fatal gun attack.

“Mga 5 sa hapon nanawag ang biktima sa ka live-in na mao na dunay hulga. Mao na toy last na storya nila,” Acilo added.

According to Acilo, the gunman who was wearing a red helmet and a pink jacket immediately fled the area on board a black Honda XRM motorcycle.

Meanwhile, the victim was already lifeless when police who were alerted by other tenants of the boarding house arrived at the crime scene. (R. Tutas)