60-year old businessman shot dead in Digos

Digos City, Davao del Sur (Wikipedia map)

DIGOS CITY, Philippines – A 60-year old businessman was shot dead by motorcycle-riding gunmen amid tightened security in this city on Saturday.

City police director Supt. Deozar Almasa, on Sunday identified the victim as Lazaro Osabel of Barangay Aplayam.

Almasa said Osabel was attending to a customer at his eatery when two men riding tandem on a motorcycle arrived. One of them got off and pretended to be a customer.

Seconds later, the stranger pulled out a gun and shot Osabel several times without provocation.

The due then immediately fled west amid checkpoints leading into and out of this city.

Almasa said the victim was rushed to Davao del Sur Provincial Hospital but was declared dead on arrival.

At the crime scene, investigators recovered two bullet shells and a slug fired from a 9 mm pistol.

Police are investigating the incident and have launched a pursuit operation against the assailants.

Almasa could not yet say any possible motives for the crime. /cbb