A man previously convicted of gun and drug charges was killed while his 15-year-old son and neighbor were also injured during a gun attack carried out by two motorcycle-riding men who rode in tandem in Danao town on Sunday night.
The fatality, identified as Marlou Bitasa, 45, was feeding his chicken outside his home in Barangay Cantubod, Danao when the assailants stopped near him and alighted their motorcycle before shooting him, said Staff Sgt. Randil Denura of the Danao Police Station.
Bitasa who sustained multiple gunshot wounds all over his body died on the spot.
Investigators found 44 spent 9mm shells at the crime scene.
“Kung gloc 17 ka bala, kung KG9 30. So basi’g KG9 to gigamit kay grabe man ag basiyo gakatagkatah,” said Denura.
According to Denura, Marlou’s son, Michael, was shot in the chest while one Roland Batuan who was also at the Bitasa residence during sustained a gunshot wound in the side of his abdomen.
Michael was critically injured while Batuan was already in stable condition. Both were rushed to the Governor Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital in Tagbilaran City.
Marlou’s wife, Marivic, was left unscathed during the attack but she saw the incident.
“Ang asawa way igo pero sija maoy silbing eye witness sa pangahitabo,” said Denura.
While Marlou was the apparent target of the attack, authorities have yet to establish why his son and friend were also shot.
“Base sa storya sa assaw mura’g dihay gamay na reaction sa anak na nakatrigger pud siguro sa gunman, samtang wa mi ka-sure adtong sa iyang amigo ngano naapil pud to,” Denura said.
The police are looking at multiple angles behind the attack on Marlou including his involvement in the illegal drug trade and other cases.
Marlou was earlier arrested and charged with frustrated murder but the case was dropped after the complainant died of natural causes in 2016.
In the same year, he was arrested during a buy-bust operation in which he was allegedly caught in possession of shabu and an illegal firearm.
He was released from jail in 2019 after entering a plea bargaining agreement.
“Naay puy mga report na naa kuno niy grupo na gun-for-hire…pero wa pa ni ma verify kay underground mani unya wa sila nag operate dinhi sa Danao,” said Denura.