Police have arrested two suspects in the attempted killing of a female market supervisor of the Mercado de Bais market complex in Bais City, Negros Oriental Wednesday evening.
A police report on Friday identified the suspects as Janjan Reposo, 32 years old, the alleged gunman, and Vincent Grampon, 18 years old and the motorcycle driver and both residents of Sibulan, Negros Oriental.
The two were placed under arrest Thursday evening after they had separately voluntarily turned themselves in to the police, said Chief Insp. Ronilo Macasilhig, the Bais City police chief.
Both admitted their participation in the shooting of the market supervisor, Marissa Benlota Silva, 58, married, and a resident of Barangay Looc, Bais City, who was shot three times on the left leg, left thigh and left arm, but who survived the shooting.
The market supervisor was riding on a motorcycle with her husband, Leonardo Silva, Jr., around 8:40 p.m. Wednesday on their way home to Barangay Looc when the suspects fired at them at Sitio San Jose, Barangay II in Bais City.
Chief Insp. Ronilo Macasilhig disclosed that the first suspect to fall on Thursday evening was Vincent Grampon, the owner and driver of the motorcycle used in the shooting incident, who turned himself in to the Sibulan police around 7:40 p.m.
An hour later, a joint team of police operatives from Sibulan and Bais City proceeded to Tanjay City, where the other suspect, Janjan Reposo, said to be the uncle of Grampon, surrendered to the Tanjay police, said Chief Insp. Macasilhig.
The police recovered from them seven rounds of live ammunition, a magazine and a caliber .45 firearm which the suspects said was the same one used in the shooting of Silva.
The arrest of the suspects was made possible because of witnesses who cooperated with the police.
Initial investigation based on the revelation of the suspects showed that their employer, a certain Julito Sablada, also known as Joeboy, had allegedly ordered them to shoot the market supervisor but did not give any reason, said the Bais City police chief.
Sablada is the husband of a fish vendor, Ellen Sablada, at the Mercado de Bais. She is one of the petitioners who have filed a complaint against the Bais City local government unit (LGU) in line with the latter’s move to have the Mercado de Bais leased to a private company, said Bais City Legal Office Lloyd Elmaco.
The Bais City police said they are now preparing the necessary documents to assist the victim, Marissa Silva and her husband, as the complainants.
Charges of attempted murder will be filed against Grampon and Reposo, who are scheduled for inquest Friday afternoon at the earliest, said Chief Insp. Macasilhig.
Meanwhile, the Bais City police chief said they are still seeking legal advice as to whether Sablada can also be charged in court for allegedly ordering the shooting of Silva.
Chief Insp. Macasilhig said initial police investigation point to the controversy surrounding the Mercado de Bais as the possible reason for the shooting of the market supervisor. (Judy Flores Partlow)
Caption: The controversy surrounding the Mercado de Bais is believed to be the reason behind the shooting of the market supervisor of the Bais City LGU. (Photo by JFP)