by LEILANIE ADRIANO
DINGRAS, Ilocos Norte – A retired policeman was gunned down in front of his own house Thursday morning by motorcycle-riding men, the 46th such incident in the province in four years, police said.
They said Nestor Percinio, 52, was cleaning in front of their house in Barangay Peralta in Dingras town when unknown men on a black motorcycle without a plate number shot him several times before fleeing the scene. It was the latest in a string of incidents involving men riding in tandem that have largely remained unsolved.
Chief Inspector Ernesto Sadian of the Dingras police station said they were looking into the motive of the killing, while initially ruling out that the attack was election-related as the victim is not known to be supporting any candidate in the May 13 mid-term elections.
Possible motives could be involvement in illegal drugs or an old family grudge, he said, but did not elaborate.
Percinio last served as Senior Police Officer 1 at the Dingras Philippine National Police (PNP) office. He used to do intelligence work and was in charge of radio communication before he retired in 2004.
His wife Trinidad said she was still in bed when she heard the shooting and as she rushed outside, she saw her husband lying on the ground, dead on the spot.
An eight-year-old witness said he and a playmate were outside their house when they saw men riding in tandem fire at the victim. The suspects were reported to be on board a Neo black motorcycle without a plate number when they disappeared.
Investigators recovered at least six empty shells of .45 calibre pistol at the crime scene.
Superintendent Jericho Baldeo, provincial deputy director for operations at the Ilocos Norte Police Provincial Office said most of the 46 shooting incidents recorded by the PNP since 2009 that were perpetrated by men riding in tandem remained unsolved.
On Monday, the PNP sought the help of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to pass an ordinance mandating all residents of Ilocos Norte who own a motorcycle to register their vehicles at the city or municipal police station. This will provide them with readily available data on motorcycle ownership that can help them do their job.
“Let us not wait for the worst things to happen. Let us come up with a concerted effort to go against men riding in tandem,” said Baldeo.
Provincial board members here are also contemplating a ban on double riders on a single motorcycle similar to the ordinance passed in Quezon City intended to help prevent crimes committed mostly by men riding in tandem.
PNP is considering putting Dingras in the watch list this coming election. The town has 31 barangays and a total of 22, 194 registered voters as of 2010.