A businessman was shot dead allegedly by his houseboy at the residence of his father at the Capitolville Subdivision in Brgy. Villamonte, Bacolod City, at about 7:30 p.m. yesterday.

Bacolod City Police officer-in-charge Senior Supt. Celestino Guara identified the fatality as Benedict Gochangco, who died on the spot from a gunshot wound on his back.

The household helper, who was identified as Julius Gonzaga of Brgy. San Miguel, Murcia town, Negros Occidental, was arrested by the police and is now detained at the lock-up cell of Police Station 4.

Investigation and Detective Management Section Assistant Chief Insp. Homer Vargas said Gochangco was killed near the room of his father.

The shotgun allegedly used in the shooting and two slugs of the same firearm were recovered from the crime scene, while a mini-machine gun was recovered beside Gochangco’s body, Vargas told the DAILY STAR.

Guara, meanwhile, told RMN-Bacolod that, aside from Gochangco and Gonzaga, the businessman’s father, their maid, driver and the businessman’s police security escort were there when the shooting happened.

Guara also said they are still trying to determine why Gonzaga, who had been working with the Gochangcos for barely a week, killed the businessman. He added that they will investigate if Gonzaga was indeed the gunman, or was just “a fall guy”.

Guara said they are also validating information that a man was seen rushing out from the house after the shooting incident.

“There was treachery (in Gochangco’s killing) because they did not give him a chance to fight back,” Guara said.

Gochangco’s name had been hogging the headlines after he survived an ambush attempt while driving his car along Lacson Street, in Bacolod in August last year.

He filed frustrated murder charges against his former lover, a 29-year-old nurse, claiming that the woman had been threatening him when he filed qualified theft charges against her for allegedly stealing P1 million worth of jewelries.

Gochangco is the son of the owner of one of the largest appliance stores in Bacolod City.*APN

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