Youngsters beat, shoot man dead

CEBU, Philippines - An 18-year-old man died after he was mauled and shot at by three unidentified youngsters past 10 the other night in barangay Basak-Pardo, Cebu City.

It was believed that the death of Raymond Perocillo Ramirez, a resident of sitio Tabaska, barangay San Nicolas, is gang-related.

A witness told police that she saw the victim being chased by three young men all the way from sitio All Seasons up to the nearby sitio Tagunol.

The three youngsters caught up with him and one of them subsequently boxed him several times. One of them, armed with a gun, allegedly shot the victim thrice.

Despite the injuries Ramirez sustained on his body, he reportedly still managed to run and attempted to escape but slumped to the ground some 30 meters away.

 A concerned taxicab driver rushed Ramirez, who also sustained a gunshot wound on the chest, to the Cebu City Medical Center but was pronounced there dead minutes later.

The witness alleged that the assailants casually walked away from the area towards sitio All Seasons. They are still subject of a pursuit operation by police who are also verifying the real motive of the incident.

Few minutes later, a 16-year-old alleged member of a gang was shot by a member of a rival gang in sitio Lower Gun Club, barangay Guadalupe.

The victim, an out-of-school youth and allegedly a member of the “Bloods” gang was shot and injured by a certain “Jekie”, an alleged “Crips” gang member.

The victim alleged to the police that he was sitting at the roadside together with a male friend when the suspect passed by them. After a few meters away, the suspect suddenly pulled out a gun and, for no apparent reason, shot at them three times.

The victim was hit in his left leg and was rushed by a neighbor to the CCMC while the suspect ran towards sitio Upper Gun Club and disappeared. – Niña G. Sumacot/MEEV (THE FREEMAN)