Police says could be a case of ‘mistaken identity’
ORMOC CITY– Police authorities are still conducting their investigation to determine the suspects behind a shooting incident in Kananga town, Leyte which resulted in the death of the sister of a town mayor.
Killed on the spot due to bullet wounds was Juanita Veloso,77, elder sister of Mayor Remedio Veloso of San Isidro town while his wife, Leleena, 61, and driver, Edmil Bacay, were unscathed.
Cpl. Nicanor Romawak, officer-on-case of the Kananga police, said that the victims were on board an SUV traversing along a national highway in Barangay Libongao, Kananga at about 4 pm Wednesday (Dec.21) when they were peppered with bullets from the suspects who were also on board of a vehicle.
The group was from Ormoc City going to San Isidro town.
“We are still conducting our investigation on the case. But initially, we are considering politics as one of the possible angles,” he said in a phone interview.
The police officer said that the vehicle where the victims were on board was said to be a vehicle owned by Mayor Veloso.
“It could be a case of mistaken identity. The suspects could have thought that the mayor was on board of the said vehicle,” Romawak said.
Recovered from the crime scene were 40 pieces of empty shells of 5.56 mm at the crime scene.
It was learned that Juanita, who died on the spot due to several gunshot wounds which include the fatal on her chest, has just arrived from the United States last week for Christmas vacation.
Meantime, Councilor Carmichael Villarino, San Isidro town councilor and a relative of the victims, said that they were shocked on the incident.
“The entire town of San Isidro is shocked and shaken by this unfortunate incident. The family is seeking for an immediate solution on the case,” he said in a phone interview.
It was learned from Villarino that Mayor Veloso has been receiving death threats reason he was provided with his own security detail from the provincial police office.
He also suspects that politics could be behind on this incident.
(ROBERT DEJON)
