By Froilan Gallardo
Special Correspondent

AN unidentified gunman shot and killed the son of a mayoralty candidate and his worker at the quarry their family operates in Barangay Pagatpat this city today.

Police spokesperson Major Evans Viñas said Roland Sherwin Uy, 45 years old, was instantly killed when the gunman shot him in the left eye as the victim was sitting on a folding chair in their quarry site in Zone 1, Barangay Pagatpat.

Uy was a councilor of Barangay Carmen, the biggest village in Cagayan de Oro.

Viñas said after the gunman shot Uy, he turned the gun to the caretaker identified as Samuel Tabalan, 75 years old, and shot him in the right eye also causing his instantaneous death.

He said the suspect left the scene on a motorcycle driven by an unidentified accomplice.

The killing, the first incident in Cagayan de Oro, left the city abuzz with speculations.

The victim’s father, Rep. Rolando Uy (1st district, Cagayan de Oro) is the frontrunner in the city mayoral race in the 2022 elections.

His opponents accused him of being a drug lord and claimed that Uy is allegedly included in the drug lord's list compiled by President Rodrigo Duterte.

The victim was also reportedly a known shabu user, their political opponent local broadcast journalist Zaldy Ocon alleged.

The father, Uy, repeatedly denied the accusation and even showed pictures of him and President Duterte taken on several past occasions.

Viñas said police investigators are looking at the angle that the killings have something to do with the rivalry of quarry operations in Barangay Pagatpat, the no. 1 source of sand and gravel in the city.

He said before shooting Uy, the gunman approached the victim asking for the price of sand and gravel.

“After the victim answered with the price, the gunman reportedly pulled out his gun and began shooting,” Viñas said citing witnesses.

Uy’s driver identified as Rubue Alayuay, who was spared because he hid inside a comfort room, told reporters he heard shots after the victim made a reply.

Alayuay told police he heard a motorcycle sped off after the shooting.