Riding in tandem shoots taxi driver dead in Bulacan

A taxi driver was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in front of his 10-year-old son in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, GMA News' Ivan Mayrina reported on "Saksi" on Wednesday.

A CCTV footage showed two suspects riding a motorcycle involved in the killing of Mervin Romena were seen entering and leaving the Evergreen Subdivision in Barangay Gaya Gaya.

The victim's partner, Janice Lumbang, said Romena and his son were in front of his house when the suspects approached him and shot him at close range.

Romena was dead by the time he was taken to the hospital.The son was also shot in the left calf.

"Sabi niya po, huwag na, pre. Tas tumakbo na po ako," the child recalled.

"'Yung naka-motor na 'yon. Nakita ko. Akala ko po, magtatanong lang," Lumbang said. "Sabi ko, huwag po, huwag po. Tinutukan po ako...Wala po akong nagawa. Na-shock po ako."

A witness claimed he saw the suspect fire four more shots at Romena's face after the victim collapsed onto the floor.

The police have yet to establish a motive and the suspects behind the killing. Romena had no criminal record and was not included in San Jose Del Monte's drug watch list.

In an initial investigation, Romena got into a fight at a party in Caloocan City with a certain group.

Lumbang also raised the possibility of the motive stemming from Romena's effort in leading the hunt for illegal recruiters who had victimized him and at least 200 other individuals.

"Unang-una po, dito po galing sa Caloocan. Tiga-Caloocan po 'yan nag-iskam na iyan," Lumbang said.

The security footage showed a man, wearing a white shirt, was driving the motorcycle without a license plate while his companion wore a dark jacket.

The guard who manned the subdivision's gate was not able to apprehend the suspects.

A witness, meanwhile, described one of the assailants as being thin and tall. — Margaret Claire Layug/BAP, GMA News