Family in Carcar cheats death

CEBU, Philippines - A seven-member household in Carcar town miraculously escaped unharmed after at least two men strafed their house last Thursday night in sitio Atbang, barangay Cabungahan.

Police identified the victims as Carlito Albeso, 38 years old; his wife Catalina, 42; their daughters aged 12, 10 and six; and Carlito’s mother Guillerma, 58.

The suspects are identified as Edwin Sayaboc, who is reportedly on the “wanted list” for murder, and Prudencio Abayata. Both are residents also of the said place.

Carlito, according to investigating policemen, heard his pet dogs outside of the house barking loudly at something which prompted him to peer through the window and check on what could have triggered the noise.

Shortly after reportedly seeing a man armed and squatting on the ground near his house, he identified to be Sayaboc, the latter allegedly fired at the house several times.

Carlito said that they were quick to duck for cover.

Responding police conducted a pursuit operation against the perpetrators but such yielded negative.

However, Abayata was later invited for questioning and was taken into police custody after one of the victims identified him as one of the suspects.

Abayata, who strongly denied the accusation, was submitted to a paraffin test.

Police recovered 25 empty shells of a 9 mm., three others of a .45 caliber gun, and a deformed slug from the crime scene, some four meters away from the house of the victims.

Cebu Provincial Police Office director Jesus Gaquing is convinced that personal grudge is the motive behind the strafing. Carlito shared to the police Sayaboc resented him after the latter learned that he earlier told the Regional Mobile Group-7 that the suspect, with a pending warrant of arrest for murder, was hiding in the area.

Also, a policeman got a second lease at life after an unidentified assailant failed to hit him yesterday morning in barangay Sudlon II, this city.

PO1 Rolito Elarcosa, personnel of the Cebu City Mobile Group, detailed in the said barangay, was driving his motorcycle on his way for duty when a person suddenly fired at him at 7 a.m. yesterday.

However, the bullet hit the clutch of the motorcycle instead.

Police said that the assailant could possibly be somebody who felt bitter or indignant about Elarcosa’s active involvement in the uprooting of marijuana stalks in the area. — Niña G. Sumacot/MEEV (THE FREEMAN)