1 dead in shooting

CEBU, Philippines - A man died while his companion was injured after they were shot by a truck driver whom they had a traffic altercation with in Barangay Ilahan, Toledo City last Saturday.

Joel Bonghanoy, 32, a native of Villahermoso, Negros Oriental, died of a gunshot wound in his chest while his co-worker, Dionesio Traya, 28, was wounded in the shoulder.

The incident reportedly happened past 6 p.m. while Bonghanoy was driving an Isuzu Elf truck (YKR 987) on his way to his temporary residence in Toledo City after delivering soft drinks with Traya.

The truck was traveling Cabulihan Street when an Isuzu Forward truck with plate number YAB 773 suddenly drove close and hit Bonghanoy’s left side mirror.

The driver of the Forward truck did not bother to stop to check the damage and drove faster instead, which prompted Bonghanoy to go after it.

Bonghanoy managed to overtake the Forward truck and stopped further down the road. He and Traya then alighted and flagged the Forward truck down.

The truck stopped but as soon as Bonghanoy and Traya approached, the driver pulled out a gun and shot the victims, hitting Bonghanoy on his left chest and Traya on his left shoulder.

The suspect then sped off towards Das, Toledo City while the victims were rushed to the district hospital where Bonghanoy was pronounced dead on arrival.

Traya, meanwhile, was transferred to a hospital in Cebu City for further medication.

The Toledo Police has coordinated with their counterparts in Naga and Talisay City for the possible arrest of the suspect.

Chief Insp. Michael Anthony Bastes, chief of the Toledo Police, has called on the suspect to surrender.

He said they will check the Forward truck’s plate number with Land Transportation Office today to identify its owner and eventually the driver who shot the victims.  (FREEMAN)