U.S. “deportee” gunned down

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines — A man believed to have been deported from the United States of America was shot dead around mid-afternoon Thursday at Barangay Taclobo in this city in what was yet perceived as another illegal drugs-related case.

The victim, identified as Carl Anthony Vincoy Cheng, 33, single and a resident of Batinguel in this city, succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds and was declared dead on arrival at the Holy Child Hospital, said Superintendent James Goforth, City Police chief.

Goforth said Cheng was the fifth shooting victim in the city over the past two weeks in separate incidents and was the second to have been gunned down this month. The three other victims survived the attacks.

Initial investigation revealed that Cheng’s death appeared to be related to the illegal drugs problem after the police recovered from the scene a plastic sachet, believed to contain shabu, along with five spent shells of .45-caliber bullets.

Goforth said investigation also showed that Cheng was deported from the U.S. for an alleged illegal drugs case. A relative of the victim told reporters that he had returned to Dumaguete about two years ago.

Cheng was riding a motorcab-for-hire, locally known as pedicab, from Batinguel to a mart in Barangay Bagacay, when two men on a motorcycle, caught up and opened fire at him, investigators said.

The driver of the pedicab told reporters he could not ascertain at what point the suspects started trailing them. Another passenger was also in the pedicab when the shooting happened.

The other passenger and the driver escaped unscathed but the pedicab’s passenger seat took in a round from the back and exited on the front, appearing to have hit Cheng immediately.

Goforth said the two suspects sped off northward. The police are now reviewing video clips from the CCTV cameras at the nearby gasoline station to get some possible leads on the assailants. —Judy Flores Partlow (FREEMAN)