• THERESA MAE DULMAN
The Filipino-Chinese business community in Bacolod City urged their members to assist the police in their investigation into the fatal shooting of a businessman and contractor.
Amity Emergency Services Foundation corporate secretary Crispin Chua appealed to their members to provide any available closed-circuit television footage from their establishments, and provide any relevant evidence to help solve the crime.
“We are encouraging our members to inform the establishment to review their camera and relay it to us, maybe [the suspect] passed by, and since we already asked Colonel [Coronica] on what car was used, at least we can help,” Chua said.
He stated that the outcome will at least make the Filipino-Chinese community to be more careful.
Mayor Greg Gasataya and Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) Director PCol. Joeresty Coronica met with the members of Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry, where the City Director relayed the status of the investigation and other confidential details.
During the meeting, the Bacolod police asked the business owners to inform them if they knew anyone who drove by the crime scene around the time of the incident to review their dashcam footage for details that could help the investigation.
“We assured them that this is an isolated case and will not happen to them just because they’re businessmen,” Coronica said.
“The BCPO is doing everything, from implementing preventive measures to assuring that this is an isolated case,” Coronica said, adding that there is no cause for alarm within the business community. He further disclosed that the initial investigation suggests the crime may have been motivated by old grudges and business-related conflicts. Police have identified a suspect, believed to be a gun-for-hire, potentially acting under instruction.
Bacolod Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. president Elbert Valencia also praised the strong collaboration between the BCPO and the city government in their efforts to resolve the case.
“The police and the Mayor are very cooperative in addressing peace and order. We are satisfied with how they are doing their job,” Valencia said.
On Tuesday, 52-year-old Engr. Romie Li, owner of a hardware store and a contractor supplier, was shot dead while opening his store at Bonifacio Street, Barangay 12, Bacolod City.*
