Pacificador scion escapes slay try in mall

ILOILO CITY — A grandnephew of former Assemblyman Arturo Pacificador, facing trial for allegedly masterminding the 1986 murder of former Antique Gov. Evelio Javier, was shot in front of the mall Friday night by suspects riding in four motorcycles.

The victim, Julius Ronald Pacificador, 24-year-old son of Mayor Julius Pacificador of Hamtic, Antique, was wounded in the hand and abdomen when two suspects on a motorcycle, trailed by men on three motorcycles, shot him below the overpass fronting the SM City Iloilo around 10:45 p.m. Friday in Mandurriao district, this city.

Senior Insp. Uldarico Garbanzos, Mandurriao police chief, said Pacificador was seen by witnesses talking to a suspect, identified only as Allan, before the incident happened under the overpass of SM City.

Minutes later, the witnesses heard four gunshots and saw Pacificador escaping the scene onboard his Nissan Frontier.

Just a kilometer away from the scene of incident, Garbanzos said Pacificador who was trying to escape from his assailants in a high-speed chase in the highway, lost control of his vehicle, and hit two cars infront of a bar before hitting another running vehicle in the highway.

The Nissan Frontier hood was wrecked after it bumped to an electrical post in the middle of the highway.

Police recovered a Super .38 cal. pistol on Pacificador’s car and a slug from an unidentified gun. The vehicle seat was also stained with blood.

Garbanzos said they have also recovered two empty shells of .9mm cal. below the overpass where the shooting took place.

Pacificador, Garbanzos said, is already out of danger.

Police are checking the license of the gun recovered from Pacificador’s car.

Police have not yet established the motive of the shooting, they are looking into possible motives like drugs and personal grudge towards the suspects.

Last Aug. 23, Pacificador was arrested and detained after allegedly threatening Sr. Insp. Alexis Relado with a gun.

Pacificador posted bail on Aug. 24 for P92,000, P80,000 for alleged illegal possession of firearm, and P12,000 for grave threats. — Leo Solinap