Bullets graze thighs of 2 Lorega residents

CEBU, Philippines - Two women standing in front of a variety store at the corner of New Imus and San Miguel Street in barangay Lorega San Miguel, this city, were hurt after a group of youngsters allegedly fired at unknown persons reportedly after a commotion last Saturday night.

The victims were Sarah Dizon, 43, and Joan Aguinaldo, 22, both residents of the said place.

Aguinaldo narrated to the police that they were both standing in front of a small store, owned by Dizon, when a commotion occurred among a group of youngsters about a hundred meters away from them, across the road leading to MJ Cuenco Avenue.

The victims, who were not able to identify the group of youngsters, heard two gunshots from where the group was hanging out. Subsequently, the two women realized that they were hit by the bullets which grazed and wounded their thighs.

SPO1 Rey Cuyos said that the unidentified perpetrators fled after sensing the presence of the responding policemen. The women were taken to the Cebu City Medical Center. Dizon was hit in the left thigh, while Aguinaldo on her right thigh.

They were later discharged from the hospital after treatment was administered.

In a separate incident but coincidentally of the same nature, but this time involving the opposite gender, two men got wounded when two teenage boys fired a gun at them in barangay Gun-ob, Lapu-Lapu City past 10 a.m. yesterday.

The bullet left wounds on the bodies of William Singson, 54, and Ronald Pinuti, 25, both residents of the said place. The suspects were identified as Ruben Ibrado, 18, also of Gun-ob and a 17-year-old high school student of barangay Pajo. However, the Lapu-Lapu City Police still have to verify whether there is truth that the other suspect is indeed a minor as they suspect the teener could be lying just to evade arrest. 

PO3 Candido Barinque of the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office-Homicide Section said that the victims, who are neighbors, alleged that they were sitting in front of their house at past 10 a.m. when the suspects suddenly fired at them from about four meters away, grazing Singson on both arms and Pinuti on the crown.

Barinque said that around 8 a.m. on that same day, Pinuti alleged that he was chased by Ibrado with a knife in an attempt to stab him. But that he was lucky to have evaded the attack. He said he went straight to the police station to report on the incident.

Pinuti has a hint that the suspects might have been harboring ill feelings against him for being a witness to a fistfight a few days ago in barangay Pajo wherein Ibrado is the alleged suspect.

Barinque said that the victims were taken to the Lapu-Lapu District Hospital but later transferred to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center. Also, according to him, Ibrado was mauled by the neighbors of the victims and consequently suffered several bruises on his face and on his body.

Responding police arrested Ibrado and took him also to the Lapu-Lapu District Hospital but later transferred him to the Cebu City Medical Center. The minor, who reportedly hid somewhere in a nearby alley, was also arrested.

Residents turned over to the police a .22 caliber gun, allegedly owned by Ibrado, with three empty shells and two live bullets. However, the gun reportedly used by the minor was not recovered.

Barinque said that either a charge for frustrated murder or frustrated homicide will be filed against the suspects as soon as the victims file their complaint. — Niña G. Sumacot/MEEV (THE FREEMAN)