Mayor Gasataya condoles with family of slain church worker, vows justice

Mayor Greg Gasataya has extended his condolences and support to the family of Efren Banaglorioso, a church worker who was fatally shot on Sunday. The city government will provide burial assistance and other necessary aid to the family.

During a meeting with Banaglorioso’s eldest child at the Bacolod City Government Center, August 27, 2025, Mayor Gasataya pledged to pursue a swift resolution to the case and ensure justice for the bereaved family.

Efren Banaglorioso, a driver for the Bacolod Cosmopolitan Christian Church in Barangay Taculing, was killed by an unidentified gunman outside the church on Sunday morning, August 25.

Eyewitnesses reported that the assailant fled the scene in a black Mitsubishi Montero. Police investigators are exploring the possibility of mistaken identity, as Banaglorioso had no known criminal record.

Mayor Gasataya has urged the Bacolod City Police Office to intensify its investigation, emphasizing the need to combat lawlessness in the city.

“I myself was a son of a church driver,” the mayor stated while consoling the victim’s family. “This brutal act of violence has no place in our city, and Bacolod will never tolerate lawlessness.”

Authorities are currently reviewing CCTV footage from the area and gathering intelligence to identify and apprehend the perpetrators. Police are also considering the involvement of a gun-for-hire group in the killing.* (Bacolod City Communications Office)