Authorities in Bacolod City are currently looking into the murder of a man in Barangay Alangilan this week to determine if it is connected to his father's alleged involvement in illegal activities.

During a media briefing on Wednesday, June 11, Police Major Joeil Reclamado, head of Police Station 5, mentioned that investigators are exploring the theory that the intended target was the victim's father. A sign near the victim's body implicated his father as a drug dealer, hinting at a potential motive linked to the father's illicit connections.

Reclamado stated, "There's a chance that the attackers were targeting the father but mistakenly killed the son instead." However, he clarified that the drug-related motive has not been confirmed as they have not yet spoken to the father.

The victim, Christian, a resident of Barangay Estefania, was found in a remote area of Barangay Alangilan on Monday, June 9. He was bound with duct tape and had two gunshot wounds to the head. While there were no signs of torture, the results of the autopsy are pending.

Authorities discovered five sachets of suspected shabu in the victim's possession and are working to determine if they belonged to him or were planted. Reclamado mentioned that the victim had no criminal record, aside from a minor complaint at the barangay level for unpaid debts.

A person of interest, who was with the victim before his disappearance, has been identified. The victim willingly entered a gray SUV in Barangay Estefania on June 8, indicating familiarity with the individual he left with.

Law enforcement is reviewing CCTV footage and other information to strengthen their case. Fingerprint analysis is being conducted on the duct tape and recovered drugs, with investigators suspecting the involvement of three to four individuals in the crime.

Police Col. Joeresty Coronica, Bacolod police director, highlighted during the media briefing that while concrete evidence is lacking, the incident appears to be linked to illegal drugs. He mentioned the victim's mother revealing that her husband had previous drug-related issues and connections to narcotics.

Coronica instructed Police Station 4, which oversees the victim's area, to delve deeper into the victim and his father's background to ascertain if the motive stemmed from past conflicts or unresolved drug dealings. The reluctance of witnesses to provide formal statements poses a challenge in the investigation.