Love angle eyed in barista murder

CEBU, Philippines — Police investigators are zeroing in on love triangle as motive in the shooting that killed an award-winning homegrown barista and a graduating psychology student at a coffee shop along F. Ramos Street in Barangay Cogon-Ramos, Cebu City Wednesday evening.

Police Major Eduard Sanchez, Abellana Police Station chief, said that John Michael Hermoso, 29, was the target. He said that Kis Tryvl Ramos, 21, who also died during the incident and those who were injured--- Sherwin Dean Rivera, 23, and Jerome Amada—were just collateral damage.

Sanchez did not elaborate on the love angle so as not to hamper an ongoing investigation. He, however, clarified that business rivalry and personal grudge are not completely ruled out.

Sanchez admitted they are having difficulty in identifying the gunman despite a closed-circuit television footage because the suspect was wearing a full-faced helmet.

“Sa pagkakaron maglisod pa ta (og) identify sa suspect kay naka full-faced helmet man, pero paninguhaon nato matrace ang motor aron matagaan nato kasulbaran ang nahitabo nga kaso,” Sanchez said.

(It is hard to identify the suspect now because he was wearing a full-faced helmet, but we will do our best to trace the motorcycle to solve this case)

The police are now coordinating with the owners of the coffee shop. Gio Visitacion, co-owner of The Good Cup Coffee Company, has already requested security detail for Amada and Rivera at the hospital.

He promised that the company will shoulder all the hospital bills and other incidental expenses, including the funerals of Hermoso and Ramos.

Hermoso, a champion barista, was supposed to leave the country Thursday to compete in Boston. The night before his scheduled departure, an unidentified shooter killed him as he was about to leave the coffee shop.  — FPL (FREEMAN)