Woman survives gunshot to belly

A 49-year-old woman suffered a gunshot wound on the right portion of her abdomen after a 37-year-old driver, apparently under the influence of liquor, shot her with an improvised shotgun locally known as "sumpak" in sitio Lakaron, barangay Pitalo, San Fernando town, Friday evening.

Prima Canque Siapen, a resident of the place was preparing food for dinner when the suspect Oscar Panilagao Ybañez fired his shotgun. The victim was a few meters away from the house of the suspect when it happened.

Police investigator SPO2 Ruben Renes told The FREEMAN that earlier that night the suspect was drunk and got into a heated argument with his wife.

After his wife left the house, Ybañez got his shotgun and it accidentally went off, hitting Siapen in the abdomen.

Barangay tanod Vicente Gerbabuena immediately went to the place when he heard the gunshot to investigate. Upon reaching the place he saw the victim wounded.

The latter told him what happened and pointed to the suspect as the perpetrator. Gerbabuena immediately arreste d the suspect and turned him over to barangay Captain Ben Noel.

Responding policemen brought the suspect and his shotgun to the San Fernando police station while Siapen's husband and relatives brought the victim to the South General Hospital for medical treatment.

The suspect is now behind bars pending the filing of charges against him. - Norvie S. Misa, Correspondent