2 shot dead at barangay festivities in Marikina

A man and a woman were shot dead by a motorcycle rider during a fiesta celebration at a barangay in Marikina City on Sunday afternoon.

The woman was identified as Monica Garcia, 39, a resident of Pasig City, based on the documents found in her possession. Her companion, however, has yet to be identified.

According to Senior Inspector Eduardo Cayetano, head of the Marikina police investigation unit, the victims were walking in an alley near Reposo Street in Purok 5, Barangay Malanday when a man shot them in the head at a few minutes past  5 p.m.

The two were about to meet up with some of their relatives and friends who were joining  the activities scheduled for the yearly celebration of the barangay’s feast day when they were killed.

Shooter leaves motorcycle

Cayetano said that earlier, the man had parked his motorcycle (PM 1399) near the alley.  He then walked up to the victims, shot each one once in the forehead before he fled on foot, leaving his vehicle behind.

Investigators said a witness had told them that she heard two consecutive shots which sounded just like someone had opened two soda bottles.

When she tried to find out where the noise came from, she saw the victims sprawled on the ground in front of a sari-sari (retail) store.

No motive yet

Other witnesses, meanwhile, said they did not know who the shooter was or why the victims were killed.

The police have ruled out robbery as the motive for the killings since their initial investigation showed that nothing was taken from the victims.

Cayetano said they were looking into the possibility that the killing was drug-related after they received reports that Garcia used to be involved in the illegal drug trade in the 1990s.

Another report claimed that she was linked to a policeman who was later dismissed from the service after he got hooked on drugs. Niña Calleja with Christine Exevea, trainee