2 men dead in separate shootings

CEBU, Philippines - Two men, including a call center agent, died in separate shooting incidents in Cebu City dawn yesterday.

Jovanni De Jesus, 30, a call center agent of JP Morgan Chase and Co., was shot in the chest by a man, whose female cohort tried to grab the victim’s bag at about 5 am yesterday in Barangay Kasambagan.

The victim was reportedly walking on his way home from work when the woman who was walking with him along F. Cabahug St. suddenly grabbed his bag.

De Jesus resisted and grappled with the woman while behind them was a man riding a green motorcycle. The man alighted from the motorcycle and shot De Jesus on the left side of his chest.

The call center agent stumbled to the ground while the male suspect returned to his motorcycle and the female fled onboard a waiting black motorcycle driven by another man.

De Jesus died immediately and was no longer taken to the hospital.

Police responded found the victim’s brown bag at the crime scene. The assailants apparently failed to take the bag with them.

The bag contained P1,150 cash, cellular phone, wristwatch, eyeglasses, a bunch of keys, and a wallet containing assorted cards and other documents.

Cebu City Police Office director Mariano Natu-el, Jr. said they are now working to identify the suspects.

Meanwhile, a garbage collector was also shot dead while sleeping in Villa Concepcion, Barangay Kinasang-an past midnight yesterday.

Abel Briones, 42, died immediately of a gunshot wound in the head fired by an unidentified man.

Antonio Ecojedo said he woke up after hearing the bursts of gunfire and later saw the victim, who collects their garbage, slumped dead on the table where he slept.

Police are eyeing personal grudge as the motive behind the incident, ruling out the possibility that the victim was shot just for thrills since the crime scene is in the interior part of  Villa Concepcion.

Recovered from the crime scene were three empty shells and three slugs of a caliber . 45 pistol.

A man who was accused of being a theft and burglar was shot dead by two men on board a motorcycle 11:00p.m. Wednesday in Barangay Poblacion Ward 2, Minglanilla.

Archival Secuya, 31, a resident of Barangay Poblacion Ward 4, succumbed to a gunshot wound in the back of his head with the bullet exiting through his forehead.

Secuya was playing cards when two men arrived. The man in pillion alighted and opened fire thrice but only one bullet hit Secuya.

Nobody could give any description of the gunman as it was dark and the incident happened so fast. Both men then immediately sped off.

Secuya was rushed to the Minglanilla District Hospital but was declared dead on arrival by the attending physician.

Police recovered three empty shells of .45 pistol believed to be from the handgun used by the gunman.

PO2 Nikki Carlo Plarisan, desk officer, said they are now pursuing Secuya’s involvement in theft and burglary incidents as he had several complaints in their police station. “Wala gyud mi laing duda ani kay possible gikontrahan ni siya. (Someone possibly has a grudge on him),” Plarisan said.

Charges were filed against Secuya before. He was recently released from jail.

“Napriso siya last year unya nakagawas mga early this year lang. (He was sent to jail last year and was released early this year),” Plarisan said in a phone interview.

Plarisan added that some of Secuya’s cases were dismissed and they are yet to check the status of his previous case. (FREEMAN)