Florist shot, multicab stolen

CEBU, Philippines - A florist was shot and wounded by an unidentified man who then escaped with the victim’s multicab along P. Gomez St., Barangay Sto. Niño yesterday afternoon.

Jonathan Pantonial, 37, a resident of Wireless, Mandaue City, was shot in the back with the slug exiting from his abdomen.

A witness who was playing in the area with a friend said that they saw Pantonial talking to the unidentified assailant before the shooting happened.

“Nag-istorya man ta to sila. Unya pagsulod sa biktima sa multicab, mohawa na siguro to siya, gi-ablihan atong iyang kastorya ang pikas pultahan sa atubangan, ug gipusil siya,” the witness said.

Pantonial told the police he was in the multicab waiting for his wife when the stranger suddenly came over and asked him to leave. When he refused he was shot by the assailant.

“Wala man daw siya kaila sa suspek. Nikalit ra daw to og duol niya unya giingnan siya og ‘pahawa diha’ ug tungod kay wala siya nihawa, gipusil siya.” said PO2 Jodan Batucan, a member of the investigating team.

After the shooting, the witness said that the assailant quickly entered the driver’s seat when the victim got out. The assailant drove the white multicab with license plate numbers GTC-842 to P. Burgos St., leaving the victim lying wounded.

Seeing what happened, sidewalk vendor Jovelyn Concepcion immediately called the Sto. Niño barangay hall to report the event and barangay captain Pancho Ramirez and tanod Berto Balaba quickly responded.

Ramirez and Balaba took the victim to the Cebu City Medical Center.

Pantonial told the investigators that he does not have any enemies.

Police surmise it is possible that the only intention of the assailant was to steal the multicab but Ramirez says there is a bigger reason behind the shooting.

“Kung naa gyud sya’y intention mangarnap ug mopatay, dili ra isa ka igo ang iyahang buhaton. Morag panghadlok ra tong iyaha, ug dili ko motuo nga carnap to, kadaghan rang nindot nga sakyanan ngara ah,” Ramirez said. (FREEMAN NEWS)