Farmer shot in Balamban

CEBU, Philippines - A farmer died after he was shot several times by an unidentified person in a mountainous area of Barangay Cansumoroy, Balamban, Cebu last Friday night.

Arsenio Lapuerta, 43, died of four gunshot wounds in the different parts of his body.

PO3 Julius Obañana of the Balamban Police Station said Lapuerta was walking on his way home in sitio Buli, Cansumoroy when an unidentified person opened fire at him around 7:30 pm last Friday.

Obañana said Lapuerta was bringing with him some goods he earlier bought at the Balamban proper for their food consumption because he lived far from a store.

One has to walk half a kilometer from the national highway and go down a cliff before reaching the victim’s house.

The police, who visited the place during investigation, saw there were only three houses in the area.

The victim was already near his house when the assailant, who was believed to have been waiting for him, shot him several times.

Lapuerta’s daughter, Obañana said, heard at least four gun shots near their house.

“Nagtuo ang anak nga giatangan na gyud tong ilang amahan kay nagdala man ug sulo ang biktima,” Obaña said. (The daughter believes that the gunman was really waiting for her father.)

The family could not think of any motive behind the attack. The victim, according to the daughter, had an enemy in sitio Pundol when he was still working as a tricycle driver last year, but the matter was already settled.

Lapuerta’s body was subjected to an autopsy.   - (THE FREEMAN)