This is a list of businessmen who have been assassinated or survived an assassination attempt or who were kidnapped or who were the victim of a crime in the first quarter of 2025.
A 21-year-old businessman here was robbed of more than P2 million in cash and jewelry on New Year’s Eve.
Police identified the victim as Remark Broa.
Broa said he arrived home around midnight on Dec. 31 and closing the gate when three men appeared and ordered him to board his vehicle.
The suspects taped his mouth and hands inside the vehicle and seized a paper bag with P2.5 million in cash, assorted jewelry worth at least P800,000, a P36,000 cellphone, and Automated Teller Machine cards.
The robbers fled on a motorcycle and the victim reported the incident to the Guadalupe Police Station and showed video footage of the robbery.
Police Lt. Col. Maria Theresa Macatangay, deputy director for operations of the Cebu City Police Office, said they are conducting further investigation.
Macatangay said the victim suspected that the robbery was the handiwork of a business rival.
“That was what he initially said. He has some rivals in the business and he suspected them as the ones who were behind the robbery,” Macatangay said.
Macatangay said investigators have leads on the identity of the suspects but she refused to divulge further details.
Two businessmen were shot dead while collecting debt from a debtor in Barangay Banyaga here on Tuesday afternoon, Jan. 7.
Police identified the victims as Eugene Petil of Bicol and James Clerk Asuncion from Nueva Ecija.
Lawmen received a call from a concerned citizen about two men found lifeless outside a nipa hut. Authorities found the victims with bullet wounds in the body.
Police Major Broderick Noprada, chief of police here, said the suspect allegedly planned the murder with the help of two accomplices. Lawmen apprehended the suspects in a follow-up operation.
Recovered at the crime scene were spent .45 caliber shells, a cellphone, and the victims' vehicle.
The suspects face double murder charges.
Authorities uncovered the body of a 64-year-old businessman who was abducted, tied up, and killed by three suspects before being placed in a sack and drum, and buried in a remote mountainous area in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan, ABS-CBN News reported.
The Quezon City Police District (QCPD), along with one of the arrested suspects, located the burial site after an extensive investigation.
The victim was last seen leaving his home on January 5 to visit his fish farm in Laguna. His family grew concerned when he failed to return and could not be reached on his mobile phone. The following day, the victim’s son received notifications of unauthorized withdrawals amounting to PHP 100,000 from two banks. CCTV footage confirmed the withdrawals were made by individuals other than the victim, prompting the family to report the incident to the police.
Two suspects were arrested on January 8 during a follow-up operation, and the victim’s SUV was recovered. One of the suspects, identified as alias “Noli,” confessed that they posed as potential buyers of a 12-hectare property owned by the victim.
According to Noli, the crime was masterminded by a certain “James Dwight,” who instructed them to abduct the businessman and demand the title of the property. When the victim failed to provide the document, he was killed.
Police apprehended James Dwight during a hot pursuit operation as he attempted to pay the remaining PHP 100,000 balance to the two suspects. Investigators revealed that Dwight used multiple aliases, including “Victor Duenas” and “Lope Jimenez.”
Authorities are now investigating if Dwight is connected to the high-profile case of Ruby Rose Barrameda, whose body was discovered in a cement-sealed drum in Navotas in 2007.
The three suspects face charges of kidnapping, robbery, carnapping, and murder, while police continue their investigation to confirm Dwight’s identity and any connections to previous crimes.
A 35-year-old beauty salon owner was shot dead by a lone gunman in General Santos City on Wednesday night.
The victim was identified as Renante Tampus.
Investigation said a n unidentified armed man entered the establishment before 7 p.m.
Moments later, customers inside fled upon seeing the suspect, who went outside but later returned and shot the victim.
The victim, a member of the LGBT community, was taken to a hospital where he was declared dead.
The suspect fled onboard a motorcycle driven by a companion.
Police said they have identified the suspects and conducting a manhunt operation against them.
Lawmen are eyeing business and personal as motives of the incident. Recovered from the crime scene were several empty bullet shells.
The incident was caught on closed-circuit television camera.
General Santos City Councilor Ed Yumang condoled with the family of the victim.
“Ren Tampus was one proud salon owner and has successfully opened several branches of her salon in the city, and because of this, along with her many achievements, she served as an inspiration to the LGBTQIA+ community,” Yumang said in a Facebook post.
“I highly condemn this act of violence committed against a member of the LGBTQIA+ community and urge the police force to look into this hate crime as swiftly as possible. I also enjoin them to ensure that more safety measures are in place for the protection of General Santos City residents.”
“Justice for Ren Tampus. May her soul rest in peace,” Yumang said.
A businessman and his wife were shot dead in front of their four-year-old daughter in Barangay Boalan, this city, on Wednesday, Jan. 22.
Police identified the victims as businessman Fathie Bara Loong and wife Bairivalia.
Investigation disclosed that Fathie was shot in front of their store by the suspect, 61-year-old Rolando Jumawan.
After hearing gunfire, Bairivalia, who was inside a vehicle, held on to their four-year-old daughter sitting on her lap.
The suspect approached and shot her to death. The girl was unharmed.
The suspect escaped on a motorcycle but was arrested on Thursday, Jan. 23, in Isabela City, Basilan province and presented to Mayor John Dalipe here.
Zamboanga City Police Office chief Police Col. Kimberly Molitas attributed the murder to an ongoing business dispute between the suspect, who is the owner and lessor of the property where the store is located, and the couple.
Molitas said Jumawan is facing double murder charges.
Dalipe commended the Zamboanga City Police for their swift arrest of the suspect.
A businessman and his employee were abducted by five suspected kidnappers in San Fabian, Pangasinan on Wednesday, Jan. 22.
Police identified the victims as businessman William, 59, businessman, and caretaker Arturo, 55.
Investigation said the victims were abducted by the suspects during a transaction over a parcel of land.
William’s wife reported the incident to the police.
A follow-up operation was conducted that resulted in the rescue of the victims and the arrest of a suspect in Sitio Gurel, Barangay Poblacion, Bokod, Benguet on Thursday, Jan. 23.
Two more suspects – Johan, 30, an Absence Without Leave police officer with the rank of patrolman, and Fero, 36, residents of Tinoc, Ifugao – were apprehended in further follow-up operation in Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya on Friday afternoon, Jan. 24.
Recovered from the suspects were guns, bullets, police uniforms, and identification cards.
The victims and suspects were taken to Camp Crame, Quezon City for further assistance and documentation and proper disposition.
A manhunt is ongoing against the suspects’ two companions.
A businessman was shot dead in Barangay Apo Esquivel, Jaen, Nueva Ecija on Saturday, Feb. 1.
Police said the victim Jerry, 52, of Cabanatuan City was on board an SUV when two men onboard a motorcycle appeared and shot the victim.
The suspects fled and the victim sustained multiple bullet wounds and taken to a hospital where he was declared dead.
Recovered from the crime scene processed by forensics investigators were .45 caliber shells.
Police have persons of interest in the killing.
A 59-year-old businessman was robbed and killed in his house in Barangay Malabanban Sur, this town, before dawn on Monday, Feb. 3
Police identified the victim as Willy Sy.
Investigation said the victim discovered that two armed men have entered his house and seized his daughter.
The victim tried to grab the gun of a suspect but was shot by his companion in the chest.
The suspects fled with an undetermined amount of money.
The victim was rushed to a hospital where he was declared dead.
Police are conducting follow-up investigation and pursuit operation.
A businessman was gunned down in Sitio Torre, Barangay San Isidro, this town, on Monday morning, Feb. 3.
Police identified the victim as Cornelio.
Cornelio was manning his hardware store when two men onboard a black motorcycle arrived.
The back rider approached the victim and shot him with a caliber .45 pistol.
The victim ran towards the back of the store but the suspect chased him and fired at him.
Cornelio sustained multiple bullet wounds and was taken to a hospital in San Juan, Batangas where he was declared dead.
Police said the suspects wearing black jackets, black helmets, black pants, and slippers fled and are the subject of a manhunt.
A meat vendor was shot dead on the diversion road in Barangay Aggay here on Friday, Feb. 7.
Police identified the victim as Zosimo Blanco, 60, a former soldier and a resident of Barangay Vacunero, Santo Domingo, Ilocos Sur.
Investigation said the victim was driving his tricycle when unidentified men riding a motorcycle appeared and shot him at 3 p.m. Blanco sustained multiple bullet wounds and died on the spot.
Police recovered five empty caliber .45 shells in the crime scene. Follow-up investigation and pursuit operations against the suspects are ongoing.
He had recently secured a barangay permit to set up a fried chicken stall, but Jade Mark Dungog was shot dead in broad daylight while selling and cooking along F. Ramos Street on Thursday, Feb. 27.
Police are still hunting for the unidentified perpetrators, who were seen escaping on a Honda Beat motorcycle.
The crime occurred around 12 noon, with Dungog declared dead on the spot, his body lying just a few meters from his roadside stall.
Witnesses claimed that the suspects, their faces covered with black cloth, approached the 27-year-old victim.
One of them reportedly asked how much a piece of fried chicken cost. As Dungog was about to reply, the gunman suddenly shot him, witnesses said.
Police reports showed that the victim sustained gunshot wounds to his back.
Rene Sepulveda, a barangay councilor of Brgy. Sta. Cruz, where F. Ramos Street is located, said Dungog had recently applied for a permit to sell fried chicken in the area.
Friends and relatives described Dungog as a “good-hearted” man, saying he was not the type to get into fights.
“He would even give out free fried chicken to his friends and even to random strangers who asked for a piece,” Sepulveda said.
The victim’s younger sibling also said he had no known enemies.
However, Edwin Dungog, the victim’s father, believes his son’s murder may have been linked to an alleged affair involving his live-in partner.
According to Edwin, his son had caught his live-in partner frequently texting another man, leading to an argument.
The victim also reportedly received death threats from his live-in partner’s relatives, which police are considering as a possible motive.
The Abellana Police Station is continuing its investigation and reviewing CCTV footage to identify the suspects.
A 59-year-old businessman was allegedly shot dead by his younger brother on Friday morning, March 7, in Barangay Bubog, Talisay City, Negros Occidental.
Police Major Rhazl Jim Jocson, deputy chief of Talisay City Police Station, said the suspect, 51, was barred by the fatality from entering his office after they settled a dispute last January.
The suspect arrived at the office and talked to his brother until a gunshot rang out.
The suspect fled and shot the victim’s 30-year-old business partner as he went out of their office to check the commotion.
Jocson said the fatality was declared dead in a hospital from a bullet wound in the head. The fatality’s business partner is recuperating in a hospital.
Police manning a checkpoint nearby apprehended the suspect after a brief chase. Recovered from the suspect was a 9mm firearm and an empty shell.
Police are conducting follow-up investigation and the suspect faces murder and frustrated murder charges.
Lawmen withheld the names of the victims and suspect but they are all Chinese nationals.
The business partner of a slain businessman passed away in a hospital hours after he was shot and wounded in Barangay Bubog, Talisay City, Negros Occidental on Friday, March 7.
Police Major Rhazl Jim Jocson, deputy chief of the Talisay City Police Station, said the 30-year-old victim died from a bullet wound in the chest.
The victim was shot while emerging from their office by the 51-year-old suspect who gunned down his 59-year-old brother.
Jocson said that two counts of murder will be filed against the suspect on Monday, March 10.
The victims and the suspect were all Chinese.
Jocson said the suspect has not admitted or denied the crime. The suspect said he does not know why he killed his brother.
Police said the suspect shot the victims due to business and financial matters. The victims’ families denied his claims.
A couple engaged in the lending business and their son were shot and killed inside their store in Purok 5, Barangay Mallorca, this town, on Wednesday, March 26.
Police Major Domingo Resma Jr., town police chief, identified the victims as Don Rey Geronimo, 55; his wife, Aurora, 52; and their son, Demarcus Ezra.
Resma said four armed men entered the victims' store and shot them in the head, killing them on the spot.
The suspects took Aurora’s bag containing an undetermined amount of money and her cellphone and fled onboard two motorcycles toward Barangay Bonifacio here.
Police recovered 10 caliber .45 cartridge cases, three deformed slugs, and one lead core in the crime scene.
Lawmen arrested two suspects in a manhunt operation.
Police said motive of the killing could be the foreclosure of a house and lot which the suspects gave as collateral for a loan with the victims.
An owner of a hardware store died after he was ambushed while cruising on his car along the highway in broad daylight in Tabogon town, northern Cebu on Monday, March 31.
The attack that happened in Sitio Lamac, Barangay Iliana was reported by a concerned citizen to the Tabogon Police Station.
The victim was identified as Dionisio Dosdos Jr., 56, who resides in the neighboring municipality of Borbon. The 56-year-old victim was also an owner of a hardware store.
Initial reports from the police in Tabogon showed that the ambush occurred past 10 a.m. on Monday.
Dosdos was driving in his black colored hatchback when he was waylaid by two men riding a motorcycle, and open fired towards the driver seat.
Initial findings from investigators stated that the suspects shot Dosdos twice. In the first instance, the bullets failed to hit the victim. After he was waylaid, Dosdos got out of his car only to be shot again by the suspects — this time, fatally.
Witnesses also told investigators that they heard at least five gunshots.
When Scene of the Crime Operatives (Soco) personnel arrived, Dosdos was lying on the pavement, with multiple gunshot wounds on different parts of his body. He was declared dead on the spot.
Police have yet to determine possible motives behind the killing as investigations are still ongoing. They are also conducting a hot pursuit operation to identify and bring the perpetrators to justice.
Tabogon is a third class municipality located approximately 86 kilometers north of Cebu City.
