Former Berya drug group bagman Ricky Serenio was reportedly involved in a shooting incident along Lacson Street in Barangay Mandalagan, Bacolod City, early yesterday morning.

The former drug personality had paid P720,000 in bail earlier this year after the courts allowed him to be placed under the custody of Moises Padilla Mayor and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) consultant Magdaleno Peña.

Police identified Serenio’s victim as 29-year-old Joen Villacoer, a resident of Purok Bangrus in the said barangay.

Police Station 3 (PS3) commander, Police Senior Inspector Jun Rey Batadlan, said Villacoer was traveling on his motorcycle, when another motorcycle approached from the side, with the rider suddenly opening fire before escaping towards an unknown direction.

The victim was rushed to the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) after sustaining a gunshot wound to the leg.

Batadlan said, after interviewing Villacoer, authorities managed to identify the alleged triggerman as Serenio, while the driver remains unidentified.

He added, the incident was drug-related.

PS3 is presently conducting a hot-pursuit operation against Serenio.

Serenio was earlier arrested in January of this year in Talisay City, Negros Occidental after his whereabouts was tracked down by the now defunct Police Regional Office-18 (PRO-18).

Following his arrest, Serenio cooperated with police and released the names of police officers, politicians, and other law enforcement agents allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade in Negros Occidental./DGB, WDJ