Gunmen attack 3 foreigners

CEBU, Philippines - A German was killed while a Frenchman and an Indian were injured after they were shot by two unidentified gunmen inside a fast food chain in Barangay Tabunok, Talisay City, past 4 a.m. yesterday.

Henry Haffner, 31, died in a private hospital in Cebu City after he suffered gunshot wounds in various parts of his body  while Frenchman Julian Millard, 31; and his Indian friend Cheten Saparaiya, 31; are now confined in a private hospital after they also suffered several gunshot wounds.

Superintendent Reycel Carmelo Dayon, Talisay City Police Station chief said based on their initial investigation Saparaiya and Millard, who was with his girlfriend Marvie Gabomba, went to McDonald’s Tabunok to eat together after leaving a bar.

While they were eating two unidentified persons allegedly made fun of Saparaiya saying “di pautang, di pautang” not knowing that he can understand Cebuano. This enraged Saparaiya who confronted the two men, leading to a heated argument but they were pacified by the security guard.

The two persons left the fast food chain just as Haffner and his girlfriend, Sheila Gimutao, who hails from Barangay Lahug, Cebu City, went inside to buy food. The two were head for Oslob to watch whale sharks, said Dayon.

A few minutes later two armed men arrived, although witnesses would later say another two of their companions were also waiting outside McDonald’s.

Haffner and Gimutao were about to leave the fast food chain when they met the two gunmen who shot Haffner in his body.

Dayon said Haffner still managed to run to the second floor to hide in the storage room but one of the gunmen followed him there and shot him several times.

Dayon added that witnesses heard the gunmen saying what if the two foreigners seated in the ground floor were their actual targets.

“Basi’g kani,” witnesses heard one of them saying.

Right after saying that they they approached Millard and Saparaiya and shot them several times before they made their getaway on a motorcycle.

Millard was shot in the left leg and left arm while Saparaiya was shot in the nape.

Gimutao said when the shooting started she ran to the kitchen while Haffner, who had already been wounded, ran upstairs. She said after it was quiet again she ran outside to ask for help but it seems everyone outside was still too shocked to respond.

Inspector Atillano Padilla, Scene of the Crime Operation investigator said 16 empty shells of 9mm cal. pistol, five empty shells of a .45 cal. pistol and four .40 cal. empty shells were recovered in the crime scene.

Rescue personnel rushed the three foreigners to the hospital but Haffner later died in a private hospital in Cebu City. Millard and Saparaiya were reported in stable condition as of last night.

Dayon believed that the perpetrators were local boys based on the manner of the killing. He added that the incident was recorded by the closed circuit television cameras of the fast food chain and witnesses can also identify the assailants.

He also said they will investigate why the guard was not issued a firearm despite his duties. The guard reportedly told him his agency does not issue them firearms as a matter of policy.

The Provincial Intelligence Branch and Provincial Investigation and Detection Management Branch of Cebu Provincial Police Office are charged with tracking down the assailants.

Cebu Provincial Police Office provincial director Noel Gillamac has formed a team composed of personnel from PIB and PIDMB to chase them.

“Immediately, nag-create ko og group to hunt the suspected gunman, paabot lang ta sa kon unsa may resulta ato, but definitely we will go after the suspects,” he said.

He added that he received a text message yesterday dawn regarding the shooting incident in Talisay where he was informed that it involved some foreigners.

“We have to look deeper into the incident on why is it that the foreigners were shot, let’s wait for the result,” he said.

The fast food chain remains closed pending investigation into the incident

“McDonald’s Philippines would like to assure our customers that their safety and that of our employees is our top priority. The restaurant is temporarily closed to give way to the on-going investigation. We are fully cooperating with the authorities to help expedite this process,” their statement read.  — With May B. Miasco/BRP (FREEMAN)