By CESAR JOLITO III

Five individuals were injured, including three bystanders, after a shooting incident believed to be driven by a personal grudge at Barangay Bagtic in Negros Occidental’s Silay City yesterday morning.

Police identified the primary victim as a 42-year-old Indian national, residing in Bacolod City’s Barangay Taculing, who sustained a gunshot wound to the left side of her stomach.

Also injured were three male passengers of a multicab: a 52-year-old farmer from Barangay Bagtic with a gunshot wound to the right arm; a 76-year-old resident of Barangay Guimbalaon who suffered gunshot wounds to the arm and chest; and a 50-year-old farmer, also from Guimbalaon, who was hit in the arm.

The woman’s 45-year-old driver from Bacolod’s Barangay Mansilingan sustained minor injuries after their motorcycle crashed during the attack.

Initial police investigation revealed that the victims were traveling by motorcycle from Barangay Guimbalaon to Bagtic when they noticed a motorcycle trailing them along Hacienda Buyong-Buyong Road at 10:30 a.m.

Without warning, the unidentified suspect — identified as the victim’s brother-in-law and a fellow Indian national — allegedly opened fire, hitting the female passenger.

Despite her injuries, the woman managed to flag down and board a passing multicab to seek help.

However, the suspect reportedly pursued the vehicle and continued shooting, striking three unsuspecting passengers.

The gunman fled the scene after the attack.

All injured victims were rushed to the Teresita Jalandoni Lopez Provincial Hospital, where authorities said they are now in stable condition.

Elements of the Silay City Component Police Station immediately responded and have since launched a hot pursuit operation against the suspect.

The Scene of the Crime Operatives were also requested to process the area for evidence.

An investigation is ongoing./CJ, WDJ