Woman shot dead in Ermita

CEBU, Philippines — A woman was shot dead outside her rented home in Sitio Bato, Barangay Ermita, Cebu City, past 2:35 p.m. yesterday

The victim was identified as Nilma Booc Toting, alias "Tata", 45, of Barangay Basak, Lapu-Lapu City.

According to Elett Nalzaro Anoba, 49, the former live-in partner of the victim, she called the victim to have lunch, but when the victim arrived, an assailant shot her once with a .45 cal. pistol.

Anoba added that someone only known as “Kuya” was always looking for the victim recently.

The Scene of Crime Operation recovered a .45 cal. pistol and drug paraphernalia at the crime scene.

Police Major Philip John Libres, chief of Carbon Police Station, said they now have a person of interest in the crime.

Meanwhile, a man was found dead with a gunshot wound to his head in Purok Paglaum, Barangay Ibabao, Cordova town, Cebu, yesterday morning.

The victim was identified as George Manatad Serafin, 40, of Lower Sun-ok Barangay Ibabao.

Police Major Joffre Grande of the Cordova police station said that they received a call from a concerned citizen about the dead body of a man that had been found in the area around 7:30 a.m.

Investigation revealed that around 3 a.m. the victim’s son saw the victim leaving the house.

The victim was allegedly involved in selling illegal drugs in the area. He reportedly just returned from Mindanao against advice from his relatives there to no longer go back to Cebu and to stop selling drugs.

Investigators recovered a shell of an undetermined caliber, they also said the victim’s cellphone was missing and may have been taken by the assailant.

In another development, the family of a 39-year-old man who was shot dead in Kawit Street, Barangay Ermita, Cebu City, last Thursday night, decided to file charges against one of the suspects in the crime, only identified as “Kinjie”, who was arrested the following night.

Libres said that the victim and the suspect had a fight before for an unspecified reason and had an altercation that led to the shooting.

The police could not recover the weapon used by the suspect because he allegedly threw it into a river.

Two other suspects in the crime are still being sought. — (FREEMAN)