Laguna trader shot dead

LAGUNA, Philippines – An officer of a newly formed business group in Calamba City this province was gunned down by one of two men in front of a dried fish store last Tuesday night.

The victim, Emiliana Ebona, 55, vice president of the Canlubang Business Association, was on her way home when she was killed at around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, according to Superintendent Marvin Saro, Calamba City police chief.

“We are now in the course of an investigation, including gathering of evidence, particularly the testimonies of several witnesses… but as of now we have no suspects,” Saro said.

One of the two men followed Ebona to the store in Barangay Canlubang, shot her in the nape and then fled aboard a motorcycle driven by the second man who acted as lookout, Saro told The STAR.

According to residents, the two men waited for Ebona for more than an hour as she had come from her meat store and the barangay hall to submit a business application.

“We believe the gunmen belong to a gun-for-hire syndicate,” a resident said.

Ebona’s fellow traders said the gunmen were armed with a .9-mm and were wearing helmets.

Residents suspect that personal grudge had something to do with the killing and that she was not a victim of robbery as her earnings from her meat store, reportedly amounting to P10,000, were intact. 

Ebona was reportedly elected vice president of the Canlubang Business Association only last Jan. 18. She was one of the big meat suppliers in Barangay Canlubang and was also engaged in money lending.