Motorcycle-for-hire driver shot dead

A motorcycle-for-hire driver was shot dead by an unidentified assailant while he was fetching passengers last Thursday in a mountain barangay of Oslob, Cebu.

Carmelito Damuag alias “Layong,” 22, of Barangay Can-ukban, sustained a gunshot wound to his nape that led to his death.

Police Officer 3 Johnny Tapales of Oslob Police Station said the first report they received at 6 a.m. that day was about a road accident in Sitio Bundo in Barangay Poblacion.

“Naa man gud nakaagi ana niya nga nag-ubo mao na nagtuo sila nga vehicular accident,” she said.

Tapales said responding police officers arrived at the crime scene and discovered that Damuag was shot dead based on the gunshot wound and the empty shell of a cal. 45 pistol found near the body.

Prior to the shooting incident, Damuag reportedly transported passengers from the sitio to the town proper since it was the distribution of cash assistance under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

The victim was on his way back to the sitio to pick up passengers when he was ambushed by an unknown assailant, said Tapales.

“Sa amo’ng assessment, mura’g gidulitan ni siya kay wa man ingon nga nalagpot siya sa iyang motor. Mga 1 meter away ra man so nagpahinay ni siya og dagan. Giatangan ba kaha, or gisundan unya nilingi siya sa luyo,” said Tapales.

Damuag was once involved in a robbery incident in a neighboring barangay, but was able to post bail, said Tapales. The police are still conducting investigation and gathering more information to identify the assailant and know the motive of the crime.