A 52-year-old car dealer was shot dead and his pregnant wife was seriously injured by one of three men riding a motorcycle in Malate, Manila yesterday morning.
Police said Armando Galicia, an employee of Malate Auto Sales shop, died on the spot due to a gunshot wound to the head.
His 27-year-old wife, Irish, sustained a bullet wound on the left shoulder and is now under observation at the Ospital ng Maynila. There are unconfirmed reports that she could lose her unborn child as a result of the shooting.
The investigation showed Galicia was inside a taxicab marked “D’ Palacol” at the showroom of the auto shop when three men on board a motorcycle without license plate arrived. One of the men immediately entered the showroom and without a word, shot Galicia. Irish, who rushed to her husband, was also shot by the gunman.
The suspects escaped on their motorcycle.
Police said the couple were stay-in employees of the auto shop, which sells second-hand vehicles. The “D’ Palacol” taxicab, in which Galicia was sitting when he was shot, is one of the vehicles for sale.
Investigators recovered an empty shell and two slugs from a .45 caliber pistol at the crime scene.
Police ruled out robbery as a motive for the slaying since the suspects did not take cash or jewelry from Galicia’s person or from the auto shop.
“We will dig deeper into the motive for the shooting. My men are currently questioning the owner and other employees of the shop to determine any possible motive,” Chief Inspector Alejandro Yanquiling Jr., who heads the homicide section of the Manila Police District.
The shooting is the second incident in as many days involving a motorcycle gang. The other day, a group of men riding in tandem on motorcycles held up a van transporting P900,000 in cash at a Petron gasoline station in Manila.