In a harrowing incident on Wednesday afternoon, November 15, a man and a woman met a tragic end as they were mercilessly gunned down inside a southbound Victory Liner bus in Nueva Ecija.
The chilling attack took place while the bus was traversing Barangay Minuli.
According to police reports, the assailants, two masked men who had been sitting at the back of the bus, suddenly rose and shot the unsuspecting victims in the head and neck as they peacefully slept in the front passenger seat conductor’s side.
Both victims, adorned in face masks, succumbed to their injuries on the spot.
The gunmen, also masked, then directed the bus driver to halt the vehicle before disembarking on the Maharlika Highway near a river.
The bus driver promptly reported the horrifying incident to the police, who have now launched a comprehensive follow-up investigation into the brazen attack.
The shocking episode was captured on the bus’s dashcam video, rapidly spreading across social media platforms.
Colonel Jean Fajardo, Chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Public Affairs Office, revealed initial details from the incident report.
The male and female victims, seated closely together, were shot at close range around 12:50 p.m. inside the bus with plate number CAY 3363.
Witnesses reported that the suspects fired four shots at the victims, causing fatal injuries.
Following the shooting, the assailants commanded the driver to stop, exited the bus near a river, and fled the scene.
The bus driver sought help from the police at Barangay Joson, Caranglan town, leading to a swift response from law enforcement.
The shocking nature of the incident reverberated online, with netizens expressing their fear and concern about the safety of public transportation in the country.
One netizen on X posted, “Commuters in the Philippines have never been safe, the Victory Liner incident just further illustrates how messed up the transpo. system in the country. Something’s gotta change.”
Another expressed anxiety about security measures, stating, “that victory liner bus clip will forever haunt me. do we not have a weapon detection system in public vehicles like buses? kasi it’s scary to think na ppl can just easily carry around güns undetected inside a public transpo.”
The online community also rallied for justice, with one netizen urging, “Tulungan po nating makamit ang hustiya ng dalawang pasaherong pinaslang.”
The incident has sparked a broader conversation about public safety and the urgent need for enhanced security measures within the transportation system.
The Daily Netizen 