Convenience store owner shot while manning cash register in Batangas

The owner of a convenience store in Malvar, Batangas was killed in broad daylight by a gunman who was seen on CCTV footage casually entering the store before drawing a gun to shoot her.

According to Andrew Bernardo’s GMA Regional TV Balitang Southern Tagalog, the 55-year-old victim was doing cashier work when she was shot.

“Hindi namin matanggap, ayaw namin maniwala. Mami-miss namin yung kanyang kakulitan, kanyang kaingayan. Wala na kaming matatanong 'pag may kailangan kaming desisyon,” her daughter said.

(We can't accept it, we don't want to believe it. We will miss her mischievousness, her charm. We have no one to ask when we need to make a decision.)

The victim’s family owned the convenience store for almost three decades.

Suspect Herbert Adano, 43 years old, was arrested during a law enforcement operation of the authorities. He also denied the allegations.

“Hindi ko nga ginawa ‘yan, ako ay napagbintangan lang,” Adano said.

(I didn't do that, it was just accusations.)

The police, however, said the witness of the incident confirmed that Adano shot the victim.

The authorities are also looking at the possible motive of the suspect, which was a fight over the part of commission on the land for sale.

“May binebenta na lupa. Magkakaroon sila ng komisyon na P7 million each. Apat silang magpa-parte-parte dun sa mabebenta na lupa. Kaya lang nu'ng kukuhanin, tinatanong na po ng biktima doon sa suspect ‘yung updates kung naibenta na. Sabi po ay wala pa,” said Police Major Jonathan Amutan, chief of Malvar Police Station, said.

(There is a land for sale. They will have a commission of P7 million each. The four of them will share in the proceeds of the land for sale. However, when the victim was already asking the suspect for updates if the land has been sold, he said there is nothing yet.)

“Naisipan po naman nu’ng kun (biktima) na kunin po ulit ‘yung papel ay ayaw po ibigay ng suspek. Parang nag-doubt na po ang biktima. Motive po doon parang hindi naman totally onsehan. Ang tawag parang interes. Ang suspek na hindi na siya mapartehan,” Amutan said.

(The victim asked to get the document again, but the suspect did not want to give it. It seems that the victim had doubts. It also seems that the motive is not really fraud. It was more about the interest. The suspect will no longer have a share.)

The family of the victim is seeking justice.

“Mabigyan ng katarungan yung kanyang pagkawala, yung kanyang pag-alis. Yung ating local na gobyerno nagpapasalamat po kami kasi napakarami pong tumutulong sa amin,” the victim's daughter said.

(We seek justice. We are grateful to our local government because there are so many who help us.)

“Kung sakali man hindi pa nahuhuli kasi iisa pa lang yung nahuhuli, iisa pa lang yung suspect, sana makita rin yung isa,” she added.

(Only one person has been caught. We are hoping that the other suspect will also be caught.)

The arrested suspect will face murder charges.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) is also coordinating with the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and Highway Patrol Group (HPG) to determine the owner of the vehicles used in the incident. —Richa Noriega/NB/KG, GMA News