BUTUAN CITY — A 43-year-old man and former inmate was shot dead inside his home in Purok 21, 5th Street, Barangay San Vicente, Butuan City, early Tuesday morning, August 25, with police investigating the circumstances surrounding the killing and identifying the still-unidentified gunman.
The victim was identified as Ryan Nambatac, 43, unemployed and a resident of the area. He was reportedly living with his live-in partner.
Initial information gathered by authorities indicated that Nambatac and his partner were asleep inside their bedroom when the assailant allegedly opened or pushed the bedroom door and fired several shots at the victim.
The shooting occurred at around 6:03 a.m., according to the initial police account. Residents were reportedly awakened by the sound of gunfire coming from the victim’s house.
When people checked on the residence, Nambatac was found inside, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds and lying in a pool of his own blood.
The gunman immediately fled the area aboard a motorcycle after the attack.
Police also received information that the assailant allegedly took the victim’s sling bag, which reportedly contained approximately ₱200,000 in cash.
Authorities, however, have yet to establish whether the reported cash was the primary motive for the killing or whether the shooting was connected to another personal or criminal dispute.
Police said the victim had reportedly been involved in a dispute on the previous day, a development investigators are now examining as part of efforts to determine what may have led to the fatal attack.
The Butuan City Police Station 1 has launched a hot pursuit operation for the unidentified suspect while investigators continue gathering evidence and interviewing witnesses.
Authorities are also working to determine the identity of the motorcycle-riding gunman and establish his movements before and after the shooting.
Police are expected to examine the crime scene and other available evidence, including possible witness accounts, to reconstruct how the assailant gained access to the victim’s bedroom and escaped after the shooting.
Nambatac was reportedly a former detainee at the Davao Prison and Penal Farm (DPPF) and had only recently been released after serving time in connection with a case involving illegal drugs.
His previous criminal case is being treated as background information as investigators determine whether it has any connection to his killing.
As of the latest information, police have not publicly identified a suspect, and no definitive motive has been established.
The investigation remains ongoing as authorities pursue the gunman and seek to determine whether the reported theft of the ₱200,000, the reported dispute a day earlier, the victim’s past criminal case, or another circumstance may have played a role in the fatal shooting.
Police have urged anyone with information that could help identify the gunman or clarify the circumstances surrounding the incident to coordinate with the authorities.