QUEZON, Bukidnon — Police have launched a manhunt operation and intensified security measures following the fatal shooting of a 37-year-old municipal government employee who was ambushed while riding his motorcycle home after completing his duty in the early hours of Friday, November 6.
The victim was identified as Daniel Malaque Dela Cruz, a resident of Purok 4, Barangay Libertad, and a Contract of Service (COS) employee of the Municipal Government of Quezon assigned to its Civil Security Unit (CSU).
Based on the initial investigation of the Quezon Municipal Police Station, the attack occurred at approximately 2:30 a.m. along a road in Purok 4, near a sugarcane plantation. Dela Cruz was reportedly heading home aboard his motorcycle when he was followed and intercepted by unidentified suspects who were also riding a motorcycle.
The assailants allegedly approached the victim at close range and shot him in the neck before fleeing the area. Residents who heard the gunfire reportedly heard two motorcycles in the vicinity, followed by another motorcycle speeding away from the crime scene.
Neighbors subsequently found Dela Cruz lying on the ground in a pool of blood and immediately sought assistance. He was transported by the Quezon Municipal Government’s rescue team to the Quezon Health Center Infirmary, where attending medical personnel declared him dead on arrival.
Investigators recovered two live ammunition rounds, one bullet slug, and one fired cartridge case believed to have come from a .45-caliber firearm at the crime scene. The recovered ballistic evidence is expected to form part of the ongoing forensic investigation.
Police are also pursuing leads on the suspects’ possible escape route. Based on accounts from residents, the assailants were reportedly seen moving toward Barangay Salawagan, also in Quezon, following the shooting.
Bukidnon Provincial Police Director Police Colonel Oliver Navales has ordered the activation of OPLAN SHIELD and the implementation of a containment ring to prevent the suspects from escaping the area.
A hot pursuit operation is underway, while personnel of the Quezon Municipal Police Station continue conducting follow-up investigations and intelligence-gathering activities to establish the identities of the gunmen and determine their whereabouts.
Police have yet to establish the motive behind the killing, and investigators are still working to determine the circumstances surrounding the attack, including whether the victim had been specifically targeted.
Authorities have urged the public to provide any information that could help identify and locate those responsible, as the investigation and pursuit operations continue.
The killing has raised concerns over the safety of government personnel and residents, particularly those traveling along relatively isolated roads during early morning hours.