BAGUIO CITY – A 50-year old jail officer died after he was reportedly shot on the head by a still unidentified gunman in front of a famous bar and restaurant along Legarda Road at around 3:45 am Saturday.
Police authorities identified the victim as Marcelo Dagtay Nicer, 50, married, a member of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) Cordillera regional office and a resident of Irisan, Baguio City.
Initial police investigation showed the victim, together with his nephew, Romeo S. Nicer, reportedly went to the Giligan’s Island bar and restaurant for a drinking spree.
However, the victim had a heated altercation with an Indian national who is reportedly a member of one of the prominent families in the city because the former got irked over the repeated disruption caused by the foreigner after he kept standing up from hi seat and keep walking around that made him repeatedly bump the victim several times.
After a few moments, the Indian national reportedly went out of the establishment and called someone on his mobile phone.
At this juncture, a still unidentified male person suddenly came rushing from nowhere, went near the victim and allegedly shot him once on the head while the Indian national proceeded to his vehicle to get a still undisclosed item.
The victim was immediately rushed to the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC) by his nephew and other concerned citizens but he expired several hours after being given medical treatment because of a lone fatal gunshot wound on his head.
Responding police operatives and elements of the Scene of the Crime Operation (SOCO) team recovered from the crime scene a lone spent shell of a .9mm pistol and a Jerico .9mm pistol.
Probers are still conducting an investigation and gathering statements of possible witnesses to strengthen the murder case that would be filed against the suspect and his cohort.
By Dexter A. See