Two minors wounded in Internet café shooting

CEBU, Philippines - Two minors were injured when an employee of the Commission on Elections Office in Dumanjug town allegedly opened fire inside an Internet café in Barangay Looc, Dumanjug, around 3 p.m. last Sunday.

The suspect, identified as Odelon Clavano, was believed to be under the influence of liquor when he suddenly entered the Internet café and opened fire several times.

Hernst King Admarelle Magno Villagonzalo, 14, was hit in his right thigh while Karl Hyginus Quirante, 17, was also injured in the ankle.

The victims were just inside the D4D Internet café together with their neighbors playing online games when Clavano reportedly arrived drunk. The suspect then pulled out a gun and opened fire several times, hitting Quirante and Villagonzalo.

Clavano himself rushed the victims to the clinic of Dr. Josephina Malana in Barangay Poblacion, but Quirante was later referred to a hospital in Cebu City for an operation.

PO3 Dionisio Tagupa, the investigator of the case, said Clavano disappeared after taking the victims to the clinic of Malana. Clavano, a job-order employee of the Comelec office, is the nephew of Dumanjug Comelec Officer Renante Angus.

Police recovered four slugs of undetermined caliber at the scene.

Tagupa said that Clavano is reportedly known to threaten residents of the said barangay whenever he is drunk.

“Maoy ingon sa mga tao didto nga hilig gyud kuno na siya ug bunot-bunot sa armas unya manion kung mahubog,” he said in a phone interview.  (FREEMAN)