8 HOURS AFTER HIS COUSIN'S SLAY: Another gang member shot in brgy Tejero

CEBU, Philippines - Barely eight hours after his cousin was shot and killed, another youngster is now fighting for his dear life after he was shot by a gang member past 3 a.m. yesterday in Villagonzalo II, Barangay Tejero, Cebu City.

Emmanuel Limpangog alias “Bingbong,” 18, an out-of-school youth and resident of the place was shot on the head because of alleged grudges against the suspect. He remains confined at the Cebu City Medical Center.

The gunman, Aldos Arregadas was arrested by police 5 p.m. yesterday near his residence along Urgello Street, Barangay Sambag I after he was identified by witnesses.

The increasing number of street crimes like robbery and gang wars has prompted Councilor Arsenio Pacaña to ask the police to intensify their visibility through conduct of more random checkpoints around the city to curb crime commission.

In a privilege speech he delivered before the City Council session last Wednesday, Pacaña said that the recent hold-up and murder of a 14-year-old acolyte, Carlo Sacedon Mangitngit, must be an eye opener to the legislators “on how criminals have become bolder and have lost their fear of the law.” He said this calls for more concerted pro-active measures among everyone in the community.

“Though we take off our hat for the expeditious solution of the above crime when culprits were identified and arrested, let’s then have a cursory look of the Comelec (Commission on Elections) Gun Ban which I believe, needs to be revisited as to its implication in the fight against criminality,” Pacaña said.

In the Tejero incident, police said the victim was playing Internet on an alley when the armed suspect, together with two companions, appeared and then shot him once.

Two girl witnesses alleged to the police that the incident took place while they were walking along the alley towards the place where the wake of their late friend, Kenneth Limapangog Veloso, 18, cousin of the victim, was being held.

They allegedly heard a burst of gunfire nearby then moments later, they saw the gunman ran towards the main road where his companions waited on board a motorcycle and sped towards M.J. Cuenco.

The suspect, during police interrogation, alleged that it was a certain Joseph Uy who shot the victim while he only served as back-up together with a certain Jordan. He said it was Uy who has a grudge against the victim.

The police said they will also verify Arregadas’ claim that he is still 17 years old, saying he was born in April 1993. — Niña G. Sumacot and Jessica Ann R. Pareja/WAB   (FREEMAN NEWS)