A report received by the Pampanga police headquarters here identified the victim as Dennis Tayag, a resident of this town, who was reported to be a police informant.
The report said the victim went to the basketball court in the village after someone earlier sent him a text message arranging for a meeting there. While he was waiting at the site, the armed suspects arrived and immediately fired at him.
Initially unhurt, Tayag ran and, after covering some distance, threw himself down on his stomach to avoid being hit, but one of the suspects approached him and fired several times more in his back. He died on the spot.
Nine spent shells for a 9mm pistol were recovered at the crime scene.
Probers cited the victim’s wife as saying that her husband went to the basketball court in response to a text message he had received.
Investigators are still tracing the source of the text message, as the wife said he did not know who sent it.
