Convicted prisoner freed for GCTA shot dead with wife in Bayawan City

Police examine the crime scene in  Minaba, Bayawan City, where a couple was shot dead  by still unidentified armed men. | photos courtesy of Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office

DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental–A convicted prisoner, who is out due to the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA), and his wife were shot dead by still unidentified suspects in the mountain barangay of Minaba, Bayawan City on Sunday afternoon, January 26, 2020.

Police Colonel Alfonso Enriquez, officer-in- charge of the Bayawan City Police Office, told CDN Digital in an interview that the victim, identified as 48-year-old Herman Escora alias “Ricky”, is a farmer who is facing various charges of frustrated murder, robbery with homicide, illegal possession of firearms and explosives.

The victim’s wife Elvera, 47, also succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds.

According to Enriquez the couple were coming from the fiesta celebration in Sitio Canabuan, around 20 kilometers from the city proper. While on their way home to barangay San Roque, unidentified suspects armed with M16 armalite rifles and a caliber .45 pistol fired several times at them.

The victims died on spot.

Police believe the shooting had something to do with his involvement in crimes before. 

“Siguro naa siyay mga kauban nga perpetrator sa previous niya nga crimes involved. Ato susihon kung naa ni siyay affiliations sa mga grupo,” Enriquez said.

(Maybe he has some former accomplices in his previous crimes involved. We will try to find out if he is affiliated with any group.) 

Recovered from the crime scene were several empty shells from an M-16 armalite rifle and caliber .45 pistol.

Police can’t still determine what year Enriquez was freed due to the GCTA as of this posting.  /bmjo