Foiled robbers shoot at bystanders

CEBU, Philippines - Two were injured after they were shot by men riding in a car along F. Gochan Street, Barangay Mabolo at 1 a.m. yesterday.

Police insist the incident was not perpetrated by those behind the recent drive-by shootings but robbers seeking revenge for a foiled robbery.

The shootings victims were Antonio Ortega, 24, a family driver, and a 17-year-old out-of-school youth while the robbery victims were identified as Megomi Sano, 28, a Japanese national and Shuohung Weng, 28, a Taiwanese national.

Sano and Weng were walking along the road when two men on a motorcycle stopped in front of them and declared a hold-up.

Weng reportedly tried to fight off the robbers which led to a commotion, which was also noticed by a group of youths. One of them threw a tumbler at the robbers.

The robbers fired shots in the air twice and then opened fire at the group of youths but failed to hit anyone.

The motorcycle sped away but it was followed by a car.

One of the three persons onboard the car reportedly disembarked from the front seat and fired, hitting the two victims in their lower legs. 

The two were just standing outside their houses, police said the shooter may have believed the two were part of the group that threw the tumbler at the thieves earlier.

The victims were brought to the Cebu City Medical Center by responding policemen. Homicide Section Chief Jul Mohammad Jamiri said they are now in stable condition.

Policemen recovered eight empty .45 cal. shells and two deformed slugs and two other empty 9mm shells and a live 9mm round from the crime scene.

Contrary to the claim of some of the witnesses, Jamiri told The FREEMAN that Ortega insisted the car’s color was brown and not silver gray.

Those behind the recent drive-by shootings were described to be driving a gray car.

The driver of the motorcycle was described as wearing a white T-shirt and shorts while the passenger was wearing a white sleeveless shirt and was also in shorts.

The assailant who got off the car reportedly sported cropped hair, had fair skin and stood about 5’5” tall.

Jamiri said the shooting was only incidental to the robbery.

“Tungod man ‘to kay nasakpan sila nga nanulis unya gibato sila og tumbler maong namusil sila,” he said.

“It was because they were witnessed robbing and they were pelted with tumbler that they shot the victims,” he said in Cebuano. — (FREEMAN)