Man, 16-year-old boy shot in 2 barangays

CEBU, Philippines - A man is in critical condition after an unidentified man peppered him with bullets almost 4am yesterday at the Citicenter along Junquera Street in barangay Kamagayan.

Noel Escobar, 38, a resident of Clavano Street, barangay Capitol Site, is confined at the Cebu City Medical Center.

Escobar, who still managed to talk to authorities, said he was leaving Citicenter after a drinking session with his friends Gina Ligan, Jerry Tan, and a certain Mark when the assailant approached him and shot him several times.

When he slumped to the ground, the gunman tried to chase Mark who reportedly witnessed the incident but the magazine of his gun fell to the ground.

He then picked it up and fled to another direction.

Despite his wounds, Escobar was able to call Ligan through his mobile phone. Ligan arrived at the scene moments later and rushed Escobar to CCMC.

Responding policemen recovered five empty shells and two deformed slugs of a .45 caliber pistol from the crime scene.

Police said they would most likely invite Mark for questioning to determine the identity of the suspect.

In a separate incident, a minor was shot on his back shortly before midnight yesterday along McArthur Boulevard fronting Juasing Hardware in barangay Tinago.

The 16-year old victim, a resident of Silangan 1 of the said barangay, told the police he accompanied his elder brother Andy Andales in sending the latter’s girlfriend home when three men- the gunman, a certain Julius, and one other- arrived and told them, “Buanga ninyo oy, daghan man mga gara diha sa inyo lugar.”

One of the three also punched the victim on the face and advised him and his brother to go home. However, as they were about to cross the street, the suspect shot the victim and hit him on the back.

The three men then fled towards sitio Putat while the victim was taken to the Cebu City Medical Center. — Niña G. Sumacot/JMO   (FREEMAN NEWS)