Former Cateel, Davao Oriental Mayor Giselo Velasco Castillones was shot dead by an unidentified gunman outside a fastfood restaurant on Wednesday, 22 November 2023, in Davao City.Photo courtesy of Davao City Police Office
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 25 November) – Police authorities have no persons of interest yet in the shooting incident last Wednesday in Davao City that killed former Cateel mayor Giselo Velasco Castillones of Davao Oriental and wounded his driver.
Capt. Hazel Tuazon, spokesperson for Davao City Police Office (DCPO), told MindaNews on Friday they are still conducting an investigation to identify the gunman who shot dead the 67-year-old politician in front of Jollibee Buhangin branch along Kilometer 5 in Barangay Buhangin.
Tuazon said the victims just had breakfast at the fast food restaurant and were about to leave when an unidentified man approached his vehicle and opened fire, hitting him and his driver, Junie Castro, 50.
Alma M. Lozentes, 57, Castillones’ common law wife, was left unharmed.
She said the driver was immediately brought to Southern Philippines Medical Center and is now in stable condition.
Based on initial investigation, the gunman was medium built, 5’5” in height, and wearing a long-sleeve shirt in yellow and green, tube mask, maroon baseball cap, gray cargo pants, and brown sandals.
Police investigators recovered five cartridges of .45 caliber pistol and two deformed slugs of the same caliber from the crime scene.
The DCPO established Thursday a Special Investigation Task Group to probe the killing of Castillones.
Tuazon said Castillones was the main target of the unidentified gunman.
Based on the website of the Cateel, Castillones was elected vice mayor in 1982 and later assumed as mayor by law of succession from 1983 to 1986.
“Following this incident, Davao City Police Office promptly conducted a follow-up on the killing of the victim and initiated counter operations to identify and apprehend the perpetrators responsible for the tragic loss,” the statement released by DCPO read.
It said investigators are conducting a thorough examination, including reviewing the CCTV footage from nearby areas to resolve the case.
Police asked the public to report any information to police that would help authorities to identify the perpetrators.
“Davao City Police Office strongly condemns this act of lawlessness and assures the public that the police force is committed to upholding the law and will not tolerate such heinous crimes,” it said. (Antonio L. Colina IV/MindaNews)
