Construction exec gunned down in Zamboanga City

Inquirer files

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — A businessman engaged in the construction industry was gunned down in broad daylight here on Friday, adding to the already long list of killings in the city since January this year.

The shooting happened at the bypass road of Barangay Lunzuran shortly before noon on Friday.

Police Corporal Allan Benedict Arasain, the investigator of the case, identified the slain contractor as Ferdinand Tan Moncerina, 53, who succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds. His unidentified companion, who served as his bodyguard, was unharmed.

READ: Basilan City’s ABC president shot dead in Zamboanga

Initial investigation disclosed that the victim and his companion were aboard a black Land Cruiser vehicle with plate number GAT 6759 when two motorcycle-riding suspects accosted them and began shooting. The suspects fled towards the direction of Tumaga bypass road after the incident, the investigation further said.

Police Colonel Kimberly Molitas, acting city police director, begged off to release further details about the latest shooting incident saying “pursuit operation is ongoing.”

Moncerina is the second construction businessman killed this year.

Last May 16, Richardson Reyes, 50, of Barangay Recodo, was shot and killed by motorcycle-riding suspects in one of the hardware stores in Barangay Boalan.

The police have yet to release details of the shooting incident involving Moncerina and the number of shooting incidents since January this year.

But the Commission on Human Rights had expressed alarm over the spate of shooting incidents here last July. Based on their count, the death toll due to shooting reached 54 from January to July this year.