Boy, 4 others accidentally shot

Ormoc City , Philippines  – A six-year-old boy is in critical condition while four others were hospitalized after an Uzi sub-machine gun wielding man shot them accidentally about 11 a.m. Sunday in Barangay Hugpa.

Police Inspector Neil Montaño, PCP1 chief identified the victims as Rico Pongos y Quenten, six; Joel Sioc y Cerna, 16, single, jobless; his brother Noli, 18, single jobless; Juan Jundit Jr. y Cerna, 18, single, jobless; and Ronnel Geraldez y Pulido, 16, single, jobless; all residents of Purok 1 of the said barangay. The suspect who immediately fled the area was identified as Ignacio Sanico, a.k.a Minong, of legal age, married, a resident of World Vision, Purok II Barangay Ipil.

Case investigator PO3 Alexis Ruita told The Star that the suspect was having a drinking session with friends at the house of a certain Dionisio Sanico along with Felipe Lama. He said that when the three got drunk too many, the suspect suddenly opened fire at a passing habal-habal motorcycle that passed by them for still unknown reason.

The five victims who were in the vicinity were hit in different parts of the body from the unstoppable bullets of the sub-machine gun. Neighbors of the victims brought them to the Ormoc District Hospital but the young boy was transferred to the OSPA hospital because he needs an operation.

Pongos was hit in his abdomen, while Sioc was hit in his left leg and his brother Noli was hit on his left foot. Jundit was shot in his right butt, right knee and right thigh. Geraldez was hit on his left foot also, according to police.

The police went to the house of the suspect to arrest him but he escaped. The local police is preparing frustrated murder charges against the suspect.        – Roberto Dejon