Masked gunman kills exec in office

By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent

A STILL unidentified man shot and killed an executive of a firm that sells computer toner and ink in what was initially believed to be a robbery in downtown Cagayan de Oro at around 3:30 pm yesterday.
Police said the attack was carried out inside the firm called Romeo V. Austria Trading at Pabayo and Gomez streets, this city.
Chief Insp. Alfredo Ortiz, Cogon police chief, identified the victim as Roland Bonhanoy.
Ortiz said the victim was shot and killed at the third floor of the establishment where he held office. The establishment reportedly has several office compartments.
Bonhanoy, 33, was from Mahayag, Zamboanga del Sur.
Authorities said the victim was found dead under his office table.
Police said they were looking into a number of possible motives, including robbery.
Chief Insp. Ariel Philip Pontilas said investigators were also considering the possibility that it was a crime of passion, noting the victim’s alleged sexual orientation and preference.
An employee of the company told The Gold Star Daily that Bonhanoy was attacked by a man who concealed his face with a mask and a helmet.
The witness said the assailant, who wore a white shirt, was armed with a caliber .45 pistol.
He said he heard two gunshots upstairs, and the suspect pointed the pistol at him before he fled.
The witness, whose name this paper is withholding for security reasons, said he was unaware if the shooter took anything from the victim or the establishment.
“He took nothing as far as I know, not even our cell phones,” he said.
Pontillas said witnesses heard no commotion, and the assailant did not declare a robbery.
“He went inside, and then shot the victim. There was no commotion whatsoever,” Pontillas said.
Yesterday’s killing came hours after the shooting death of a jeepney driver on Yacapin Street in Barangay 26. The victim, 46-year old jeepney driver Eduardo Bacangoy, of Purok 4-B, Barangay Gusa, was declared dead on arrival at the Maria Reyna Hospital.
Chief Insp. Ortiz identified the alleged gunman as Renier Roa, 25, of Barangay 36.
Police have started a manhunt against Roa who is believed to have gone into hiding.
Ortiz said the victim and the suspect were friends, and investigators believed the gun attack was drugelated. He did not elaborate.
Bacangoy was driving a motorcycle, and was accompanied by one Jun Trey Diaz when the suspect started shooting with a caliber .45 pistol at around 6:30 pm on Yacapin Extension, said Ortiz.
He said Bacangoy succumbed to four gunshot wounds.
The victim was rushed to the hospital by a jeepney driver but a doctor declared him dead on arrival at around 6:45 pm.