Rider shoots woman dead in Cebu City

CEBU CITY — A 24-year-old woman was shot in the head while on her way to work past 10 a.m. on Monday, April 14, 2025, along Juan Luna Street corner Samar Loop in Barangay Luz, Cebu City.

The victim, identified as Frince Ordeniza, was riding pillion on a motorcycle-for-hire when a man on another motorcycle pulled up beside her, declared a robbery, and fired three shots as the traffic light turned green.

Witnesses said the suspect did not take any of the victim's belongings, including her phone and wallet.

LtCol. Maria Theresa Macatangay, deputy city director for operations at the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), said the suspect was wearing a red sweatshirt and riding a Yamaha NMAX motorcycle.

CCTV footage and witness accounts revealed the shooter appeared skilled in handling a firearm.

"We observed from the onset that it seemed like a robbery, but we are tracking some angles that suggest there could be another reason behind what happened," said Macatangay.

The victim, a resident of Sitio Calinao in Barangay Luz but originally from Barangay Bahay, Sibonga, Cebu, worked as the store head of Open Source in a major mall at the South Road Properties.

She reportedly lived in a nearby boarding house and regularly booked motorcycle rides to work.

The CCPO has identified a person of interest and is now tracing the suspect's route before and after the crime.

Investigators are also examining Ordeniza's background, both at home and at work, to determine if other motives may have led to the shooting.

Her cellphone will undergo forensic examination to check for any threats received prior to the incident.