Three die in Dumanjug incidents

CEBU, Philippines - Three persons died in separate incidents during and after the town fiesta of the southwestern town of Dumanjug.

A tricycle driver died after he was thrown off the tricycle he was driving when a speeding car hit his tricycle last Tuesday night while two others were shot to death by still unidentified men early morning yesterday.

Elitorio Rojo, 63, of Barangay Liong, was found dead by another trisikad driver along the National Highway of Barangay Tapon about 7pm last Tuesday.

Rojo was allegedly traveling home when his trisikad was hit by a white car. He was thrown off the vehicle and had a fatal wound on his head when found by the other trisikad driver. The concerned resident took him to the police station.

PO2 Dan Villardar said they rushed Rojo to the Barili District Hospital but he was declared dead on arrival.

The man who came to Rojo’s rescue reportedly saw the vehicle approaching at that time, but was not expecting it would hit the tricycle driver. He was not able to get the plate number.

Meanwhile, about 1am yesterday, a man who figured in a fistfight was shot to death by an unidentified man in Barangay Poblacion.

Habagat Rosales, 25, of Barangay Looc succumbed to five gunshot wounds.

Villardar said that Rosales was under the influence of liquor when he engaged in a fistfight with another man. The gunman, seeing Rosales’ opponent hit the ground, reportedly took pity of the latter, pulled out his .45 pistol and shot Rosales several times.

“Mura siya og naluoy sa gikulata unya gipalit niya ang away sa duha,” Villardar said.

Police recovered five empty shells of a .45 caliber pistol from the crime scene.

About four hours later, an accessory vendor was shot dead by an unidentified assailant while he was attending to his stall also in Barangay Poblacion.

Police suspected that the suspect has just mistaken the victim Sandy Bandolon. She is a resident of Barangay Soong I, Lapu-Lapu City.

Villardar said a commotion between four persons happened a few meters from Bandolon’s stall. Three of them suddenly fled on foot while being chased by the fourth one. The fourth person reportedly went towards Bandolon and asked which direction the three took, but Bandolon failed to answer.

Thinking that Bandolon was protecting the three, the assailant got irked and shot Bandolon on the head. Bandolon died instantly.

Police said they have ascertained the gunman’s identity, but will withhold it for now while a manhunt operation is ongoing.

Provincial Police Office Director Senior Supt. Patrocinio Comendador said there were policemen in the area, but they had difficulty controlling a large crowd.

“It is always a fact nga kung dunay daghang tao daghang krimen labaw na kung dasok ang lugar,” he said. — (FREEMAN)