The bullet-riddled Nissan Patrol SUV of Bacolod Councilor Ricardo ‘Cano’ Tan parked in front of the Dr. Pablo O. Torre Memorial Hospital in Bacolod City. Tan and his wife, Nita, were ambushed on Dec. 14 aboard this vehicle on their way to Bacolod City. Photo by CARLA P. GOMEZ
BACOLOD CITY – Bacolod City Councilor Ricardo “Cano” Tan and his wife, Nita, survived an ambush at Purok Tagaytay, Barangay Alangilan, Bacolod City about 5 p.m. Friday.
The Tans, who own the Campuestohan Highland Resort in Talisay City, were on board their Nissan Patrol SUV and were on their way home to Bacolod City when three unidentified suspects aboard a small white wagon-type vehicle fired on their SUV.
Senior Inspector John Christopher Masangkay, Police Station 5 chief, said the couple did not suffer bullet wounds but the councilor had slight injuries caused by broken glass, he said.
Senior Supt. Francisco Ebreo, Bacolod police director, said the councilor managed to drive his vehicle to Police Station 5 in Barangay Granada where he sought assistance on the way to the Dr. Pablo O. Torre Memorial Hospital.
A Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) statement last night said the councilor’s vehicle had bullet holes in the front, back and on the driver’s side.
A source said the windshield of the vehicle had 22 bullet holes, and 13 on the back window, while the glass on the driver’s side of the SUV was shattered.
A Scene-of-the-Crime Team recovered 24 empty shells of a 5.56 rifle and seven empty shells of a .45-caliber revolver at the crime scene, the BCPO report said.
Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia and Rep. Greg Gasataya who, along with Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, visited the councilor and his wife at the Dr. Pablo O. Torre Memorial Hospital last night, condemned the attack.
“We condemn the ambush. There are no justifiable grounds for it. It is unfortunate that it happened in an area that is a tourist destination,” Leonardia said.
The mayor said he was asking the police to see to it that there would be no recurrence of such incident.
Gasataya also condemned the attack. “There is no place in society for that.”
An investigation is being conducted to determine the motive and early identification of suspects, the BCPO statement said.