1 dead, 6 hurt in QC drag race shooting

MANILA, Philippines - A man was slain while six others were wounded following a shooting during a motorcycle drag race in Quezon City before dawn yesterday.

Jackie Pajaroja, 22, died after his rivals in the illegal motorcycle race shot him and his companions. 

Pajaroja, a hair stylist and resident of Jordan Plains Subdivision in Barangay Sta. Monica, died on the spot due to three gunshot wounds in the head.

Police Officer 3 Erickson Isidro said the members of the rival group, numbering about 15, reportedly felt cheated after the race along Mindanao Avenue Extension at past 4 a.m.

He said there was a confrontation between the victim’s group and those of their rivals as they accused the victim of cheating.

Pajaroja’s wounded companions were Carl Webb, 38; Michael Raye Tolentino; Jeffrey Virray, 33; Mico Caguindagan, 19; and Nico Tanchaves, 28.

Isidro said Joe-Ed Salvador, 22, is in critical condition at the FEU Hospital due to a bullet that entered his abdomen.

Crime scene investigators recovered 52 spent .40 caliber shells from the crime scene, he added. 

Isidro said the victims’ group and the assailants did not personally know each other as a middleman had set up the race. Investigators are still trying to track down the middleman, who arranged the race through text messaging, in order to find out the assailants’ identities.

Pajaroja allowed a certain “Jolo” to drive his Yamaha Mio motorcycle against his rival’s motorcycle.

Isidro said it was not yet clear as to how much money each party had placed as their bet. The two groups allegedly agreed to have a “best of three” race and had just finished one race, which the attackers lost.

The assailants were about to leave the area without paying up, but the victim confronted them. It was then that the assailants accused Pajaroja’s group of cheating and started shooting them.