Assassinated Businessmen April to June 2023

This is a list of more businessmen assassinated in the Philippines for the second quarter of 2023. 

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/05/23/businessman-shot-dead-outside-makati-home

A businessman was shot dead by an unidentified assailant outside his home in Makati City on Tuesday night, his family said. 

The victim, Gilberto Cayetano, was resting inside his parked car in front of his residence in Barangay Pio del Pilar, when a man passed by and shot him before running away. 

(I was sleeping. We heard a gunshot, so we went down. They were screaming. He was already sprawled inside the vehicle when we saw him.)

The victim was already lifeless upon arrival at the hospital. 

This is the second time that the victim was involved in a gun attack, his sibling said. 

“Noong pandemic po inattempt pero di natuloy, 'di pumutok baril, 2020 ito,” his sister said. “Nasa labas kami lahat mag-outing. May tumutok ng baril.”

(During the pandemic, someone attempted to shoot him, but the gun jammed. This was in 2020. We were on an outing. Someone pointed a gun at him.) 

She said she had no clue on who the assailant could be. 

“Wala siya nabanggit na kaaway tahimik kasi yun sa problema. Kaya di namin alam kung sino puwede gumawa nito…. Kahit ng araw na iyon, 'di namin alam sino may galit,” she said. 

(He did not mention any enemy because he keeps quiet with his problems. We don't know who could have done this. Even on that day, we don't know who could be carrying a grudge against him.)

“Kyung sino man gumawa niyan sa kapatid ko, wala naman siya ginagawa masama. Kung may nagawa siya na masama, sana hindi sa ganito. Pwede naman pag-usapan. May mga anak pa po iyon na maliit. Sana makonsensya kayo. Kung ano ginawa niyo sa kapatid ko, Diyos na ang bahala,” she added. 

(If he did something wrong, it shouldn't have led to this. We could have talked it out. He has young children. I hope your conscience hounds you.)

Police are still investigating the incident. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1755018/mango-trader-shot-dead-in-digos-city-davao-del-sur

A mango trader was gunned down early Tuesday, April 11, along the national highway in Barangay Aplaya of this city, adding another incident to the crime wave that hit Davao del Sur in the last two weeks.

Lieutenant Colonel Hamlet Lerios, Digos police chief, identified the victim as Janilo Alferes Mondejar, 46.

Witnesses told investigators that Mondejar was just sitting on a bench of a sari-sari store near his house when two still-unidentified individuals arrived onboard a motorcycle. Suddenly, one of them pulled a handgun and fired at the victim without any provocation.

Mondejar was hit on the left chest and died instantly, the police said.

https://mb.com.ph/2023/5/4/businesswoman-live-in-partner-shot-dead-outside-batangas-trial-court

A businesswoman and her live-in partner were gunned down outside the municipal trial court here on Wednesday morning, May 3.

Police identified the victims as Rosola Vivas and her live-in partner Clement Jalijali, residents of Paseo de Murcia, Terrazas de Punta Fuego, Barangay Natipuan, here.

Investigation said the couple had just left the municipal trial court after attending a hearing and were walking towards their parked vehicle when they were shot by a lone gunman.

Vivas sustained multiple bullet wounds in the body and died on the spot. Jalijali was taken to the hospital where he was declared dead due to bullet wounds.

Police officers inside the trial court immediately responded but failed to arrest the suspect who reportedly fled on a motorcycle parked not far from the crime scene.

Investigation is ongoing to determine the motive of the killing and identity of the assailant.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1766696/vietnamese-national-slain-driver-hurt-in-palawan-shooting

A Vietnamese national died while his Filipino driver was hurt in a shooting incident on Monday night in this city.

Initial investigation by the Puerto Princesa City police revealed on Tuesday, May 9, that businessman Kim Vu Dang, 39, who was engaged in lobster buy-and-sell, was inside the stockroom at the back of his house in Purok (zone) El Rancho, Barangay Sta. Monica when the unidentified gunman, who was posing as a lobster seller, arrived around 7:30 p.m. and shot Dang several times.

Dang died due to two gunshot wounds in his head and one in his stomach.

His driver Mark Nephi Ramos, who was also in the stockroom, suffered a gunshot wound in his right palm. He was taken to a hospital for treatment.

The suspect fled after the shooting.

https://mb.com.ph/2023/5/15/lady-trader-tied-to-investment-scheme-shot-dead-inside-car-in-davao-city

A 51-year-old businesswoman linked to an investment scheme was gunned down inside her vehicle by three unidentified assailants here on Saturday, May 13.

Police Major Catherine dela Rey, Davao City Police Office spokesperson, identified the victim as Annabelle Cosido Elizagaque.

Dela Rey said on Monday, May 15, that authorities are thoroughly investigating the incident on  Diversion Road in Barangay Maa at 2 p.m.

Investigators have yet to check surveillance cameras in the area that could help them unmask the identity of the gunmen.

Dela Rey added that they would look into the victim’s previous business transactions to determine the possible motive for her death.

She said investigators have yet to find out if Elizagaque received any threats to her life from individuals with whom she had transactions.

Elizagaque was reportedly among the individuals behind the now defunct Rigen investment scheme which offered investment packages similar to the Ponzi scheme that promised high returns to investors, information released by police said.

“Atong ginapaningkamutan nga masolbad kining kaso ug para mahatagan sila og hustisya (We are doing our best to resolve this case and give her justice),” Dela Rey said.

She said that police are not discounting the possibility that her death might have been motivated by her involvement in Rigen or in her other businesses.

https://mb.com.ph/2023/6/11/couple-robbed-killed-in-cagayan

A couple engaged in money lendijng was robbed and killed in Barangay Punta, Aparri, this province, on Friday, June 9.

Police Corporal Dharyl Jhon Bingil, duty investigator of the Aparri police station, identified the victims as Derlina Bambalan, 47; and Ramon Ramones, 67.

Bingil said Ramones’ sibling discovered the victims lying in their house with severe wounds in their bodies at about 7:30 a.m.

Bambalan was already dead while Ramones was taken to the hospital where he died hours later due to severe head wounds.

Police theorized that the unidentified suspect used a hard object in mauling the victims.

Investigators are looking at robbery or business in the crime.

During follow-up investigation, Bingil said they found out that two bags containing still unknown amount of money with a logbook containing names of people who owed money from the couple are missing.

He said that they are determining if there are closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras in the place of incident and the escape route of the suspect.

https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/s-porean-businessman-shot-in-the-head-in-popular-philippine-resort-town

A Singaporean businessman was gunned down on Monday at a popular resort town in Batangas province, south of the Philippine capital Manila.

Mr Chan Kim Tay, 66, had just left his grocery shop at a public market in Lian town and was heading home at around 6pm on Monday when someone walked up to him and shot him in the head, Sergeant Arthur Rosales, the case officer, told The Straits Times.

Lian is about three hours south of Manila by car. 

Mr Chan was taken to a hospital in nearby Nasugbu town, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Sgt Rosales said police are checking security cameras near where Mr Chan was killed for clues as to the shooter’s identity.

He added that investigators are looking into a couple of leads, including the likelihood that a domestic dispute might have led to Mr Chan’s killing, and that the Singaporean might have been killed by a hired gunman.

Mr Chan had been in the Philippines for about 30 years. He was married to Mrs Marife Chan, 49, a Filipino. Their three children are 28, 17 and seven years old.