CEBU – What was hoped to be a solemn celebration of the days of the dead over the weekend was marred by violence as three shooting incidents around the province left one dead and four people hurt.
In Danao City, a policeman from the Regional Intelligence Office (RIO) shot it out with two armed men at the city’s cemetery hitting both suspects, but another person was hit by a stray bullet.
PO3 Rochelle Arquiza, of barangay Guinsay, Danao City, shot it out with two armed men inside a public cemetery in barangay Taytay shortly before 2 a.m. yesterday.
Arquiza, who is detailed with the RIO of Police Regional Office (PRO)-7 was at the grave of their family members when use heard gun fire.
Barangay tanods sought the help of Arquiza and they went to check the place where the gunfire came from.
They saw an armed person, later identified as Marc Juda Ramonida, 24 jobless and a resident of the same place.
Arquiza identified himself as a police officer and asked Ramonida to surrender his firearm, but instead of heeding, the suspect aimed his gun at the policeman.
This prompted the Arquiza to fire at Ramonida hitting him at the right side of his torso.
While Arquiza rushed to the wounded suspect to bring him to the hospital when he heard another gunshot.
He told barangay tanods to take Ramonida to the hospital.
This time, another armed suspect, later identified as Junriel Bentoy, 19 of barangay Tabok Kamalig Bato, fired at Arquiza.
Arquiza then fired his service firearm thrice hitting Bentoy on his abdomen.
Unfortunately not only the suspect was hit as a stray bullet hit the right foot of Jonas Somera, a 19-year-old 4th year high school student of barangay Taytay.
All of them were brought to Danao District Hospital, but Bentoy and Ramonida were later transferred to a hospital in Cebu City.
Arquiza turned over to Danao Police, a black Colt caliber .45 pistol with a magazine containing six live ammunition that he confiscated from Ramonida.
While a Power Custom caliber .357 revolver with three empty shells inside its cylinder was recovered from the second crime scene.
According to P/Supt. Romeo Perigo, the senior official assigned by CPPO Director Carmelo Valmoria to supervise the northern part of the province, the group of Bentoy and Ramonida were allegedly shooting at each other due to a personal grudge.
A 14-year-old was the fourth casualty after he was shot by a member of the Alpha Kappa Rho (AKHRO), who is also a minor outside the Multipurpose Gym of Barangay Poblacion at past 3 a.m. yesterday.
The boy was hit at the foot and was brought to Danao District Hospital.
The suspect, a 17-year-old boy, was arrested at his residence by responding policemen.
FATALITY
A resident of barangay Pasil, Cebu City who went to the town of Consolacion to light a candle at the graves of dead relatives ended up dead himself.
The man was reportedly shot by a still unidentified assailant yesterday morning.
The fatality was identified as Junrey Pepito, 27. He reportedly went to barangay Lanipaga, Consolacion to visit the dead and also his relatives.
He was found lifeless at the back of their house with a gunshot wound at the back of his body.
Recovered from the crime scene were one empty shell, one live ammunition of caliber 9 mm pistol and a caliber .45 pistol tucked in the victim’s waist.
Police still have no leads on this case. – Ferliza C. Contratista/NLQ (THE FREEMAN)