Weekend violence kill 2, injure 2

CEBU, Philippines - A trisikad driver died while a taxi driver is in critical condition after two separate shooting incidents that marred the Christmas celebration in Cebu City.

Trisikad driver Pablito Abala Jr., 38, died of multiple gunshot wounds in the body after two unidentified motorcycle-riding men shot him several times in Barangay Duljo-Fatima at 3:00 p.m. Saturday.

Abala was having a drinking session with his friends along B. Aranas Extension when one of the assailants approached and shot him several times. The gunman, who stands about 5’3” in height, about 35 years old, chubby and was wearing a dirty white shirt, immediately rode on a waiting motorcycle and escaped towards Barangay Labangon.

Homicide investigators recovered four empty shells of caliber .45 ammunition, slug and metallic fragments of the ammunition of the same caliber from the crime scene.

In another shooting incident, taxi driver Reagan Emperado, 28, of San Roque, Talisay City, is in critical condition after he was shot by still unidentified person in Barangay Inayawan Friday afternoon.

The unidentified assailant shot Emperado when the letter stopped at the corner of F. Jaca St. and Greenfield. The victim managed to drive his cab but later bumped on a passenger jeepney.

The gunman was seen boarding a brown Toyota Fortuner after the shooting incident and sped off towards Barangay Dawis in Talisay City.

Meanwhile, a farmer died while his companion was injured after a neighbor stabbed them following a heated argument over a card game on the eve of Christmas in Sitio Lobris, Barangay Pong-ol Sibugay.

The victims were identified as Liberato Coca, 34 and Elmer Bontilao. The suspect was identified as Ernesto Arsula, a construction worker.

The victims and the suspect were reportedly playing a card game locally known as “tong-its” when a heated argument happened between Coca and Arsula.

The suspect left but later returned with a knife and started stabbing the victim. Coca died on the spot while Bontilao tried to pacify but got the suspect’s ire instead.

Arsula also started attacking Bontilao but the latter managed to fight back despite having wounded. The suspect fled but was arrested by the responding barangay tanods. (FREEMAN)