1 dead, 2 injured in Tanjay shootings

CEBU, Philippines - Police are still investigating two shooting sprees that took place hours apart which left one person dead and two others wounded in Tanjay City, Negros Oriental, over the weekend.

Investigators are still pursuing leads as to the identities of the suspects and the motives in the shooting incidents that, according to Tanjay City police station commander, Chief Insp. Domeneciano Distrito, Jr., are not related.

Around 10:20 p.m. Saturday, two unknown male suspects on board a motorcycle opened fire at a brown pick-up truck along the national highway in Barangay San Jose, Tanjay City, a police report said. Jose Marie Bengochea, 42, was hit on the left chest and was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital, while his companion, Billy Joel Aquilar, 21, sustained a gunshot wound to the right thigh but survived the attack.

The police recovered spent shells of caliber 9-millimeter at the crime scene.

Less than three hours after, around 1 a.m. Sunday, a gardener of former Tanjay City Vice Mayor Nilo Tam was shot by an unidentified gunman while responding to the call of nature, the police said.

Quinciano Alcazar, 44, married, of Barangay Balugo, Valencia in Negros Oriental, took a leak near the gate of his employer’s house along Isagani Street in Poblacion Barangay 3, Tanjay City, when the suspect came up to him and shot him, a police report said.

The victim sustained a gunshot wound to the neck, with the bullet exiting through his mouth, said Tanjay police chief Distrito. Alcazar was rushed to the hospital where he is being treated for the injury.

Police recovered empty shells of .45 caliber from the crime scene.