4 dead, 3 injured in shooting incidents

CEBU, Philippines - Four men died while three others were injured including a one-year-old girl in separate shooting incidents in Cebu City and Balamban town.

The latest incident happened at past 1 p.m. yesterday in Carlock St., Barangay Dulfo Fatima in Cebu City where one Giovanni Canillo, 30 was shot dead by an unidentified man.

Canillo, jobless, was carrying his one-year-old daughter outside their house when a man, who was sitting nearby, stood up and pulled out a gun.

Sensing danger, Canillo ran with his daughter, but the assailant caught him shortly and gunned him down.

The man wore a grey sweatshirt, maong pants, ball cap and handkerchief to conceal his face, according to the store owner.

The victim eventually lost hold of his daughter and slumped to the ground near the drainage canal.

He died of gunshot wounds to the head, left side of the chest, and body, said PO1 Joel Zamora of the Homicide Section.

His daughter was wounded in the forehead and had a nose bleed after accidentally hitting her face to the pavement.

The girl was treated and was recommend for a citi scan, her mother Jonarlyn Gonzaga, 23, said.

Gonzaga, Canillo’s live in partner for years, was doing the laundry when she heard the bursts of gunfire.

She would not know who is behind her spouse’s murder.

“Wa ko’y nahibaw-ang kontra niya g’yud,” she said.

Barely two hours earlier, two men riding on a motorcycle shot and killed Jelemar Bergantin, 27, and injured Enrique Solis, 44, in Oppra, Barangay Kalunasan.

Bergantin died of five gunshot wounds while Solis, who was hit thrice, is being treated at the Cebu Doctors Hospital.

The two were reportedly standing at the roadside when two men on a red motorcycle and were both wearing helmets stopped before them.

The backrider pulled out a gun and shot at the victims before speeding off.

SPO4 Rey Cuyos of the Homicide Section said the assailant was targeting Bergantin, based also on Solis’ claim.

Cuyos said they are still investigating the motive behind the incident.

In another incident, four men shot dead trisikad driver Antonio Vicada, 33, in Barangay Bulacao at past 10 pm last Tuesday.

Vicada, who was allegedly a noted robber, was standing in the alley in sitio Cabancalan II when four men arrived and shot him several times.

The motive behind the attack is still being determined by police.

Meanwhile, in Balamban last Tuesday night, Jesierey Rodriguez, 28, and John Ceblos, 17, were on board a motorcycle heading to Barangay Matab-ang from Barangay Buanoy when the suspects who were riding another motorcycle overtook them. The man riding in pillion then opened fire at the victims.

With control lost, the victim’s motorcycle fell to the ground. Concerned bystanders called for police assistance and the victims were brought to a hospital in Cebu City, but Rodriguez eventually succumbed to gunshot wounds.

Both were rushed to a hospital in Cebu City but Rodriguez died while on the way.

Police recovered two empty shells of a 9mm pistol and a deformed slug of the same caliber from the area.

Police said the target was reportedly involved in illegal drugs. Police also found that the motorcycle used by the victims reportedly did not have a plate number. – (FREEMAN)