Johhny Chua.*

The Hotels and Restaurants Association of Negros Occidental yesterday condemned the fatal shooting of hotel owner Johhny Chua at the junction of JV-Burgos streets in Bacolod City Saturday and called on the police for the swift resolution of the case.

Chua, 63, of Capitolville Subdivision, at Bacolod City, was on board his black Isuzu Alterra vehicle, driven by his son Brent Andrew, 24, on their way home from the Bacolod downtown area, when the suspect, Pic Raymond Longno, 37, of Malaspina Street, Brgy. Villamonte shot him on his left side.

Chua died while being treated at the Riverside Medical Center while Longno, who fled after the shooting, also succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds at the Bacolod Doctor’s Hospital at about 6 p.m. Sunday minutes after two bonnet-wearing men shot him at Malaspina Street.

Chua, a lawyer, owns the Eastview Hotel at Carlos Hilado Street-Circumferential road and the Prenda Negrense Pawnshop and Jewelry store at Luzuriaga Street in Bacolod City.

HRANO president Bobby Magalona, said the killing of Chua shocked their members.

Magalona said the killing is not a good sign as it will send a negative image of the peace and order in Bacolod, which, he said, may affect its tourism industry.

He said that HRANO members will visit the wake of Chua at the Rolling Hills Memorial chapels and condole with his family.

Bacolod City Police Director Senior Supt. Ricardo de la Paz maintained that the killing of Chua is an isolated case and that it could be business-related.

De la Paz said the witnesses and Chua’s son, who was driving their car when the shooting happened, positively identified Longno as the triggerman when his picture was presented to them.

De la Paz added that they are now tracking the driver of the motorcycle used by Longno as get-away vehicle after shooting Chua, because he could give them a lead on the mastermind behind the killing, if there is any.

At the same time, he said it is possible that the killing of Longno has nothing to do with the fatal shooting of Chua.

The deformed slugs recovered from the vehicle of the Chuas were brought to the crime laboratory of Police Regional office-6 in Iloilo yesterday for ballistic examination.*APN

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