One dead, 2 hurt in bus shooting

CEBU, Philippines - One person died and two others were injured when an irate by-stander fired at a bus in Barangay Poblacion, Argao last Thursday night.

Involved in the incident were members of the so-called ‘Tisa Boys’ of Argao, who were irked at the driver of a Ceres bus.

The fatality was identified as Junjun Espina, 23 years old, single of the said place.

Injured were Kervy John Cahilig, 22, also and alleged member of the Tisa Boys and the bus driver Luciano Bustamante, 53, of Barangay Lamac, Pinamungajan.

Espina was hit on his back and was declared dead on arrival at the South General Hospital in Naga City.

Cahilig was rushed to the Don Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center with a bullet wound on his left hand.

Bustamante, who was brought to the H.W. Miller Memorial Sanitarium and Hospital in Cebu City, was hit in his right leg.

Bustamante said that he was driving Ceres bus with plate number GWY 620 en route to Cebu City from Bato, Oslob when he ran into trouble in Argao town.

He narrated that while he was caught in traffic in Barangay Poblacion, he noticed there was somebody who was slamming his hand on the back portion of the bus.

That person turned out to be Espina, who was driving a pedal-powered tricycle locally known as trisikad. Espina, who appeared drunk, went up the bus and accused Bustamante of trying to sideswipe him.

One of the passengers shouted at Espina, but the latter told that person that he would also hurt him then turned around to get off the bus.

It was at this point when gunfire suddenly burst forcing the 30 passengers to seek cover.

The gunman was identified as Danilo Puerto, who was reportedly the passenger of Espina in his pedicab.

Puerto was allegedly armed with a caliber .45 pistol. He fired twice with the first bullet hitting Cahilig and the driver while the second one hit Espina.

Cahilig reportedly tried to stop Puerto, which was the reason why he was hit.

Puerto immediately left on foot after the shooting.

The police recovered two empty caliber .45 shells.

Kicked

 A couple also complained to the police that they were kicked by an unknown assailant shortly after the shooting incident.

Joannis Estavilla, 41, a teacher at Boljoon National High School, and his wife Maria Letecia Estavilla, 43, who were seated behind the driver said that they were kicked by a man, who they believe was a member of Espina’s group.

They said that the man was looking for the driver and the bus conductor, but none of the passengers answered him.

He then kicked the man thrice on the head and his wife once on the leg before jumping off the bus.

Arrested

Senior Police Officer 2 Arnold Abenir, Argao police investigator, was able to arrest Jemuel Espina, 33, for throwing a stone at the windshield of the bus.

The older Espina thought that his younger brother was hit by the vehicle, which was why he threw a stone at the bus.

He said that upon knowing the commotion he picked up a stone and hit the windshield causing it to crack.

During the arrest Abenir informed him that his brother was killed by one of their friends.

A case for malicious mischief will be filed against him.

Tisa boys

This was not the first bloody incident involving the Tisa Boys.

On July 17 last year, Nilo “Commander” Vega, one of their members, was also allegedly accidentally shot by Puerto.

The group was attending a birthday celebration in Barangay Lamacan, Argao and Puerto had with him a .38 caliber revolver.

Vega reportedly annoyed Puerto when he said, “sige man kag dala’g armas uy nga dili mana muboto, testingi kuno bi kung dili ba kagar.”

   After saying this, Vega put the gun’s muzzle in his mouth and the angry Puerto allegedly accidentally pulled the trigger killing the former.

Puerto allegedly left the place and stayed away for eight months fearing reprisal from the family of Vega.

Jinxed bus?

Last June 23, a biscuit company sales representative died due to a heart attack while he was on board on the same bus.

Mariano Libaton, 53, of barangay Poblacion, Argao, who worked at the London Biscuit Company in Mandaue City, was heading Cebu City when he suffered a heart attack.

Upon reaching Sibonga town, the passenger seated beside him called the attention of the others on board that Libaton was unconscious.

“Mura na man kuno ug walay kinabuhi kay nisandig na man sa iyang tupad unya gipukaw wala na kamata,” police said.—/NLQ (FREEMAN)