SERGIO OSMEÑA, ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE — A 46-year-old lawyer and Administrative Officer of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) in Pagadian City was wounded after being shot by two unidentified assailants in Barangay Biayon, Sergio Osmeña, on Tuesday afternoon, October 14, 2025.
The victim was identified by local police as Atty. Eustaquio Dennis Reyes, who was driving his silver Toyota Hilux when he was ambushed by a male and female suspect wearing gray raincoats and riding a black-gray Yamaha NMAX motorcycle.
Initial investigation revealed that Atty. Reyes sustained gunshot wounds on his right elbow and right side of the abdomen. After the attack, the suspects quickly fled toward Polanco town.
Despite his injuries, the victim managed to seek help at the Barangay Hall of De Venta Perla, Polanco, where he was immediately assisted and transported by the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) to the Corazon C. Aquino Hospital in Dipolog City for medical treatment.
Police units from Polanco and Sergio Osmeña immediately launched a hot pursuit operation to track down the suspects. The Zamboanga del Norte Provincial Forensic Unit also processed the crime scene, while authorities continue to determine the motive behind the shooting.
IBP Condemns the Attack
On October 15, the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) – Zamboanga del Norte Chapter issued a strong condemnation of the attack on Atty. Reyes, describing it as a “brazen and senseless act of violence” against a member of the legal profession.
“The attack on Atty. Reyes is an affront to the rule of law and an attack on the very foundations of justice,” the IBP statement read. The group called on the Philippine National Police and other authorities to conduct an immediate, thorough, and impartial investigation to bring the perpetrators to justice.
The IBP reaffirmed its commitment to uphold justice and protect the safety and independence of lawyers, stressing that “violence and intimidation have no place in a civilized and democratic society.”