Woman killed while about to ride jeepney

A 41-year-old woman was shot in the head and killed Friday night just as she was about to board a passenger jeepney on her way home in Manila.

Marilyn Esponilla, of Duhat Street in Tondo, was declared dead by attending doctors at the Mary Johnston Hospital several minutes after she was brought to the medical facility for the treatment of a bullet wound in the back of the head.

SPO1 Mario Asilo, of the Manila Police District (MPD) homicide section, said the incident happened at around 6:50 p.m. at the corner of Zamora and Chacon Streets in Tondo.

Asilo said that before the incident, Esponilla had flagged down a passenger jeepney plying the Divisoria-North Bay Boulevard route and was about to board the vehicle when the assailant struck.

Without any provocation, the man drew a handgun and shot Esponilla in the back of the head before fleeing.

The woman slumped forward on the jeepney’s floor bloodied and was brought to the nearest hospital by bystanders. She was pronounced dead at around 7:47 p.m. by doctors with the bullet still lodged in her skull.

Asilo ruled out robbery as a motive behind the slay as the victim’s belongings, a brown shoulder bag containing several assorted silver jewelry, her mobile phone, and identification cards, remained intact.

The body was brought to the Cruz funeral parlor for autopsy and safekeeping as MPD operatives conduct follow-up operations for the gunman’s arrest. Jeannette I. Andrade