The suspects in the killing of Barangay Buli Chairman Ronaldo “Kaok” Loresca were charged with murder by the police.
Loresca, 48, was shot by two unidentified men at about 10:16 p.m. on May 22 in front of Sole So Blessed Sneakers and Apparel at No. 195 Manuel L Quezon Street, Barangay Buli.
Based on the initial investigation by the Muntinlupa Police, Loresca and his companions were sitting in front of the store when two male suspects on a motorcycle shot him without any apparent motive and fled towards Sucat. One of the suspects was wearing a Joy Ride shirt while the other one was in a black t-shirt.
Barangay Buli residents in Muntinlupa hold a banner demanding justice for the killing of Barangay Chairman Ronaldo “Kaok” Loresca (Photo from Barangay Buli)
Chairman Ronaldo “Kaok” Loresca of Barangay Buli in Muntinlupa (Barangay Buli)
The wake for Chairman Ronaldo “Kaok” Loresca of Barangay Buli (Barangay Buli)
This photo shows Barangay Captain Ronaldo Loresca in front of the Sole So Blessed Sneakers and Apparel in Barangay Buli, Muntinlupa on May 22 where he was shot by two unidentified men. The photo was taken at 7:30 p.m. or less than three hours before the shooting happened at 10:16 p.m. (Photo courtesy of Nickzer Protacio)
He was taken to the Asian Hospital and Medical Center in Alabang. Hospital personnel tried to revive Loresca but he eventually succumbed to a gunshot wound in the head. He was declared dead at 11:26 p.m.
The suspects were identified and two weeks after his death, the Muntinlupa Police filed murder charges against the suspects before the Muntinlupa Prosecutor’s Office on June 4, Mayor Ruffy Biazon announced on June 6.
However, the names of the suspects were not disclosed.
“Gayunpaman, para hindi malagay sa alanganin ang imbestigasyon, hindi pa natin maaaring isapubliko sa ngayon ang pagkakakilanlan ng mga suspek; makakaasa po kayo na magbibigay ulit tayo ng updates sa tamang panahon (However, in order not to jeopardize the investigation, we cannot make public yet the identities of the suspects; you can expect that we will give updates in the right time),” said Biazon.
Loresca won as Buli’s barangay captain in the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) in Muntinlupa last October. He was buried on May 30 at the San Nicolas de Tolentino Cemetery in Barangay Buli.
Residents and Loresca’s family have been clamoring for justice for the case.
Biazon said the filing of the murder charges was made possible through the cooperation of the Muntinlupa Police, Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group, PNP Forensic Group, Department of Justice (DOJ), Muntinlupa Department of Disaster Resilience and Management (DDRM), and other cities and government agencies.
He said Muntinlupa’s extensive CCTV network also played a big role in resolving the case.