Car-riding men fire at random

CEBU, Philippines - Three men, two of them minors, were injured in two separate drive-by shootings in Cebu City yesterday.

The first incident happened at V. Rama Ave., Sitio Englis, Barangay Guadalupe at 3:20 a.m., while the second happened five minutes later at Katipunan St., Sitio Kalyohan, Barangay Labangon.

Police suspect the same assailants are behind the two incidents.

In Guadalupe, Jun Roque Amaya, 24, and a 17-year-old, both residents of the said place, were shot by unknown assailants onboard a gray car.

Shortly before the attack the 17-year-old was walking with two friends to a nearby convenience store to buy some liquor.

Suddenly, the gray car moved towards them. One of the occupants rolled down a window, pointed a gun at them and fired several times.

Amaya, who was already inside the convenience store, was also hit.

The assailants immediately sped off toward Happy Valley while Amaya and the 17-year-old were rushed to the Cebu City Medical Center.

Amaya suffered gunshot wounds in his left leg, while the-17-year-old was shot in the left thigh and right side of his waist.

In Labangon a 16-year-old member of a certain gang called the Bloods was shot as he drank liquor with a couple of his friends by the side of the road.

Witnesses said it was also a gray car that stopped and someone inside opened a window and shot at the group.

The others saw the assailant take the aim with his gun and ran off but Christian was shot in the chest and left shoulder.

The car then sped toward Barangay Tisa.   

Christian was rushed by his friends to CCMC.

Several empty shells believed to have come from a 9mm pistol were recovered from both crime scenes. 

Chase

Cebu City Intelligence Chief Romeo Santander said responding policemen were able to tail the gray car for a while but lost it after it sped off.

A witness from the Labangon incident reported there were four unidentified men inside the car, Santander said.

The passenger, who sat beside the driver, was tagged by witness as the one who carried the gun, he added.

All passengers of the vehicle were described by witness and the victims to be in their early twenties.

Santander said they are looking into the possibility that the incident might be gang related or because of personal grudge as witnesses to the shooting in Labangon also said the 16-year-old and his friends were mocking passersby as they were drinking.

Homicide investigator PO3 Ruth Violango said they believe the same perpetrators were responsible for both attacks.

The victims and witnesses do not remember the letters of the gray car’s license plates but agreed the numbers on it are 234.

“Ingon ang mga biktima nga gwapohon, pution ug dato-on ang mga suspetsado around 20 to 30 year old,” Violango said.

Previous incidents

Last year, homosexuals were attacked with an airsoft gun by unidentified assailants in a white car in two separate attacks last October. 

The first incident was reported in Barangay Punta Princesa, followed a few days later by another attack beside Maxilom Ave., near the Mango Square Mall.

In 2007, engineer Lawrence Morados and his companions Lord Stephen Vasquez and William John Aznar were killed in a drive-by shooting.

Shots were fired along V. Gullas at The FREEMAN building, Sanciangko St. and Ascencion St. in Barangay Sambag 1. —/BRP (FREEMAN)