BACOLOD CITY -- A former drug offender was gunned down by four assailants at Charito Heights Subdivision, Barangay Granada here on Friday, Feb. 17, due to a misunderstanding over jealousy.
The victim was identified as Harold John Suarez, 37, of Barangay Mansilingan here, who got out of jail through plea bargaining.
Capt. Francis Depasucat, head of Police Station 5, said that based on the statement of a witness, the victim was drinking in a sari-sari store when the suspects approached and allegedly shot him. The suspects then fled on board a sports utility vehicle (SUV).
Two days later, the get-away vehicle was recovered on Sunday, Feb. 19, in a parking lot of a hotel here.
Depasucat said the suspects were identified as Mart John Espole, Mark Espole, Rodzel Espole, and Arnold Jaurege. He added that they are probing the relationship of the three suspects.
Depasucat said the vehicle was rented by the suspects from the family of the victim’s live-in partner, as they are working as sales representatives for cigarettes here.
Depasucat said the victim and the suspects might have had grudges against each other since the victim was reportedly jealous of them because they are the customers of his live-in partner in a home service massage therapy.
He said they don’t have leads on the whereabouts of the suspects, as he believed that they might have left the city since they are not from here.