3 men shot dead

CEBU, Philippines - Two motorcycle taxi drivers and a vendor who sold sausages were killed in separate incidents in the towns of Consolacion, Sibonga, and Cebu City.

Ritchie Gerundio, 22, of Purok 2, barangay Nangka, Consolacion town, was found dead at a secluded place in barangay Tilhaong, Consolacion Wednesday afternoon with multiple stab wounds in different parts of his body.

Police said Gerundio’s face was found deformed and could have been the result of having been hit with a rock.

Gerundio’s motorcycle is missing.

SPO3 Roy Susvilla, Homicide investigator, suspected that Gerundio was robbed by a passenger who possibly took his motorcycle.

Susvilla said Gerundio was killed about less than 10 hours before he was found by a nine-year-old boy who was gathering firewood at the area.

The cadaver was taken to the Maturan Funeral Parlor for autopsy.

Another motorcycle-for-hire driver, Joseph Lavilla, 23, of barangay Papan, Sibonga was found dead with a gunshot wound in his back. As presumed, he was shot at around 1:20 a.m. yesterday in barangay Bae.

Lavilla was heading home on board his Honda Wave motorcycle from a benefit dance in barangay Bae when he was shot from behind.

He was taken to the Deiparine Medical Clinic in barangay Poblacion where he was declared dead by an attending physician.

PO2 Ederlino Bacusmo, Homicide investigator, nobody witnessed the shooting.

Lavilla was shot at a dim and secluded portion of the road.

“Posible napareglahan lang ni kay wala man ni kontra sa discohan pero kiat la’g mahubog (It could have been a spur-of-the-moment assault because he had no known enemies at the dance party. But he misbehaved when drunk),” Bacusmo said in a phone interview.

Meanwhile, Emmanuel Jumao-as, 29, of Tres de Abril, barangay Pahina Central, Cebu City was shot dead by neighbor Jonathan Bacus midnight yesterday.

Jumao-as succumbed to a gunshot wound to the chest and was taken to the Cebu City Medical Center where he was declared dead on arrival.

Bacus was arrested by the San Nicolas police in barangay Guba where he fled right after the incident.

Homicide investigator SPO1 Ruth Violanggo said Bacus and Jumao-as reportedly met at the house of their common friend who was at the time celebrating his birthday.

While drinking, Bacus discharged his gun, hitting no one.

Jumao-as reprimanded Bacus.

Bacus allegedly resented this and shot Jumao-as killing him.

Bacus tried to escape but he was arrested in barangay Guba.

He is now detained at the Cebu City Police Office.  (FREEMAN)