Security guard gunned down

CEBU, Philippines – The chief security guard of one of the posh subdivisions in Talisay City was shot dead while on his way to work at past 7 a.m. yesterday by a man who was on a motorcycle. The shooting took place at the Lawaan I junction of the Cebu South Coastal Road.

Rolly Rodrigo, 47, of Alpha Executive Homes in barangay Lawaan III, sustained five gunshot wounds on the back.

The Talisay City Police Homicide Section found Rodrigo on the pavement, face down, his motorcycle beside him.

Littering the crime scene were six spent shells of a .45 caliber pistol and three slugs from the same type of gun.

PO2 Jundave David said Rodrigo was on his way to work on a motorcycle after dropping his child to school when attacked.

A witness had said the shooting took place when the traffic light was red.

The witness said the gunman and an accomplice were traveling on a motorcycle and that the gunmen were not wearing masks or bonnets.

Rodrigo's wife Evangeline and daughter Irene, in an interview with the media, pointed to Customs broker Bensing Raguindin as the mastermind of the killing.

They said that before the incident, a man who was Rodrigo's friend approached them and said that Raguindin allegedly hired him to kill Rodrigo, and the man also said that since he valued their friendship, he returned the money that Raguindin allegedly given him to kill Rodrigo.

Raguindin, who ran for city councilor under the Liberal Party banner in the last May 10 elections and lost, lives in Alpha Executive Homes.

Supt. Henry Biñas, in a separate interview, said before the May elections, he went to the subdivision and tried to persuade the homeowners to settle their rift.

Reportedly, a number of homeowners support the old set of officers and the rest are on the side of the newly elected ones.

And since they reject the new administration, they have also reportedly stopped paying their monthly dues.

As a consequence, security guards refuse to open the gates to residents who have stopped paying dues.

Raguindin, for his part, denied having a hand in the crime, saying he knew that Rodrigo had run-ins with some people in the past.

"Katong sa Lawaan III sa una, gisuwayan man gani na siya og bira," said Raguindin in an interview with radio dyAB.

Meanwhile, David said the alleged politics inside the subdivision and the alleged involvement of Raguindin will be investigated.

As of the moment, the alleged hired gun and his partner in crime are at large. (FREEMAN)