Shooting incidents: four wounded including 2 minors

CEBU, Philippines - In Cebu City, a 14-year-old was shot by an unidentified assailant at Barangay Day-as last Sunday.

The victim was identified as Jomari Pantino, a 1st year high school student of Zapatera and residing in Barangay Lorega- San Miguel, Cebu City.

Pantino narrated that he was attending a disco together with his friends when they heard two gunshots and he suddenly felt pain on his left side and that he was already bleeding.

An unidentified suspect fired three gunshots towards the victim’s group for an unknown reason.

Pantino was rushed to Cebu City Medical Center by barangay tanods where he was treated for a gunshot wound in his left abdomen.

The victim is now in stable condition as investigation is ongoing to determine the motive of the shooting.

In Minglanilla, two were shot in a separate shooting incident Sunday dawn.

In Barangay Tubod, around 1 am, victim Jissnelh Cabando 17 was drinking with his friend when another friend identified as Mark Clyde Nacua arrived and told the victim that he was harassed by five persons who tried to block his way.

Cabando confronted the five, but one of the suspects pulled out a gun of  unidentified caliber and fired at Cabando.

The victim was wounded on his right foot and right thumb and was rushed at Minglanilla District Hospital for medication.

According to police, the suspects had personal grudges against Nacua, but because Cabando interfered, he was the one shot instead.

Around 3am, another shooting incident happened at Sitio Sangi, Barangay Calajoan.

Jason Tajaro, 21 a resident from Barangay Pakigne of the said town was just leaving a disco party when two suspects tailed him.

Initial investigation showed that the suspects called Tajaro and when the victim faced them, he was immediately shot and was wounded on his left shoulder and left arm.

Suspects were identified as Marvin Mantalaba, 18 alias ‘Marvin Kuyabushi’ from Sitio Tiber, Barangay Poblacion Ward 1, Minglanilla and Christian Paran, 15, from Barangay Inayagan, Naga City, who are both members of Cool Brothers Gang in the said town.

The two were arrested hours later after the shooting incident in a hot pursuit operation conducted by police.

Mantabala during interrogation admits that he has personal grudge against the victim and voluntarily handed the .38 cal gun he used.

Police also recovered five empty shells of caliber 38 from the crime scene.

In Dalaguete, a 23-year old man was shot on different parts of his body by an unidentified suspect in Barangay Balud at 5:30 p.m. Sunday.

The victim, identified as Bryan Carcel Vergara, a resident of Dalaguete, Cebu was shot by an unidentified suspect wearing a bonnet over his face on board a motorcycle driven by another unidentified suspect wearing a brown jacket and a sarong cloth over his face. 

The victim was able to escape from the assailants without sustaining any mortal wounds as the suspects fled the scene, heading south.

The victim was brought at Julio Cardinal Rosales Memorial Hospital, Dalaguete Cebu for medication and later transferred to Don Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City for further medical treatment.

Dalaguete police responding team recovered no physical evidence from the crime scene and the caliber and make of the gun used is still unknown. 

Police are looking at personal grudge or drug-related involvement as motives for the shooting.

According to information gathered from the victim’s neighbors, Vergara  was allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade but the victim denied the allegation, saying it is only a gossip.

Dalaguete Police office was already conducted follow-up investigation and hot pursuit operation against the alleged perpetrator.  — with Frances Denise Lagdameo and Sheilla Mae Cañete