ZAMBOANGA CITY — A 63-year-old motorcyclist was shot dead along the Bypass Road in Barangay Tugbungan, Zamboanga City, on Thursday afternoon, September 25, in an attack reportedly carried out by unidentified suspects riding in tandem.
The victim was identified through identification cards recovered from his body as Noel Ramacho, a resident of Zone 2, Lower Pasobolong, Barangay Pasobolong. However, police said they are still verifying the victim’s identity as part of their ongoing investigation.
Residents in the area reportedly heard three successive gunshots during the incident. When they went to check, they saw the victim lying on the road and apparently pinned beneath or beside his motorcycle.
Initial information gathered by authorities indicated that the gunmen were reportedly riding a Yamaha NMAX motorcycle. Witnesses said the suspects fled the area after the shooting.
Police recovered a driver’s license bearing the name Noel Ramacho from the victim’s possession. Investigators are checking the document and other available information to formally establish the victim’s identity and determine the circumstances leading to the shooting.
Authorities have not yet released details regarding the identities or motive of the attackers. The type of firearm used, the number of shots that struck the victim, and the direction taken by the suspects after the incident remain subject to police investigation.
The shooting has prompted police to gather statements from witnesses and examine possible evidence from the crime scene, including any available closed-circuit television footage that could help establish the movements of the victim and suspects before and after the attack.
Police are continuing efforts to identify and locate the riding-in-tandem suspects. Further details are expected as investigators establish the circumstances surrounding the fatal shooting.