Soldier shoots sergeant dead

CEBU, Philippines - In the military rank has its privilege, but some subordinates can only take so much.

Shots rang out inside Camp Lapu-Lapu in barangay Apas, Cebu City early yesterday at the mess hall of the 7th Finance Service Unit of the Philippine Army.

When the smoke cleared, Staff Sergeant Romeo Cahanap Mendez, 42, of barangay Camambugan, Ubay, Bohol lay dead.

Corporal Jesusito Gonzales Bayang, 32, of barangay Tuburan, Del Carmen, Surigao Del Norte, who admitted to shooting the more senior enlisted man dead, immediately gave himself up to the Military Police.

SPO4 Alex Dacua of the Cebu City Police Office Homicide Section said the shooting incident happened inside the while Mendez was having coffee at 5:20 a.m. and had a heated argument with Bayang.

Private First Class Mark Anthony Lumapas, alleged that he along with Bayang and two of their errand boys — Edgar delos Santos and Rex Emblode were sleeping in the barracks when they were rudely awaken by Mendez so they would clean the place up.

This allegedly irked Bayang and he followed Mendez to the mess hall to confront the Sergeant.

It wasn’t long after that they heard shots being fired and they found Mendez already dead when they rushed to the mess hall.

Bayang, in an interview with reporters, said that he had done the crime out of self defense as Mendez allegedly threatened to kill him.

He claimed that they did not like the way Mendez would wake them up as 5 a.m., which he sometimes did by hitting them. He also said that Mendez always used hurtful words.

Lumapas, in an interview over radio station dySS, corroborated Bayang’s statement.

The soldier said that he heard Bayang tell Mendez not to rudely wake them up again most specially him, because he was already a non-commissioned officer.

Mendez, reportedly did not take the action of Bayang well and instead scolded the corporal.

Lumapas said that he overheard the victim threaten Bayang.

“Nang-hadlok-hadlok na hinuon na mupatay lagi daw siya (Mendez) ug tawo kay grabe daw iyang record. Mupatay g’yud daw siya,” (He threatened that he will kill somebody and he has a record for doing so. He will really kill) Lumapas alleged.

Bayang said that after he heard the threats he went back to his bunk and got his caliber .45 pistol then went back to the mess hall and shot Mendez at close range.

According to the police, the victim bore seven gunshot wounds on the left part of his body that led to his instantaneous death.

Five empty .45 caliber shells were recovered from the crime scene.

Bayang told reporters that he requested for transfer from their main office on last October because he could not stand the attitude of Mendez, who served as their supply sergeant.

Bayang was assigned at the 7th Finance Service Unit since 2002 after serving two years at the Compostela Valley in Mindanao where he was severely injured on his leg during an ambush.

Lt. Col. Melchor Tuliao, the unit’s commanding officer, alleged that after hearing the bursts of shots, he immediately went to the mess hall and confronted Bayang.

“Tinanong ko s’ya: Toy, ano ‘yan? Sabi n’ya: ‘Sir, hindi ko na matiis’,” Tuliao said.

While the suspect’s companions at the barracks knew about the ill feelings between Bayang and Mendez, their commanding officer said he wasn’t aware of that.

Major Wilson Feria, spokesman of the Central Command, said that it was an unfortunate incident.

Feria said that the command has been reminding its men to “instill moral values, discipline and professionalism.”

“This is the responsibility of the commander also to check the status of his men, talk to his men from time to time, and have a fellowship where their men can air their grievances. We remind them (the soldiers) also na if naa’y problem, i-sulti sa commander,” Feria said.

Dacua said a charge for murder will be filed against Bayang, who is now under police custody.

“Na-establish nato nga naa’y heated argument between the victim and the suspect before the incident, unya mibalik ang suspect para mukuha sa armas with intent to kill g’yud,” Dacua said. —/NLQ (THE FREEMAN)