Man shot dead on his birthday

CEBU, Philippines - The date of his birth also became the date of his death.

Mario Bantasan had just turned 32 the other day, when he was shot dead in Maria Luisa Village, Barangay Banilad shortly before midnight.

Witnesses said it was Mark Anthony Boyo, 28, a liaison officer of JPV Emission Testing Center and member of the Barangay Intelligence Network of the Cebu City Theft and Robbery Section; and Efren Navales, 45, a resident of Barangay Banilad, Mandaue City, who shot the victim.

Three witnesses said they were sitting and talking by the roadside together with the victim when Navales rode up to them on a motorcycle.

Navales allegedly introduced himself to them as a policeman and said: “Ayaw mo dagan, pulis ko og moabot akong mga kauban.”

While Navales called someone through his cellular phone, a man wearing a full face helmet drove up on another motorcycle, passed by them and made a U-turn before stopping in front of them.

The man on the second motorcycle suddenly shot the victim twice as the informants scampered to safety.

The motorcycle used by the second man, which had no plate number, was found abandoned near the crime scene.

A few minutes later, Boyo, a resident of Umapad, Mandaue City, was spotted nearby by the Mabolo police. The witnesses pointed to him as the one who shot the victim because he allegedly had the same build.

Police frisked him and recovered a 9mm cal. Norinco pistol, a magazine with 15 live rounds, a TRS identification card, firearm license, and permit to carry firearm all in his name, a fan knife, a hand-held radio and a cellular phone.

Police recovered two empty .45 cal. shells from the crime scene, which did not match Boyo’s firearm.

Navales, who was also positively identified by the informants, voluntarily surrendered to the police.

The victim, who was shot twice in the chest, was rushed to the Gullas Memorial Hospital for treatment but did not make it there alive.

Prior to the incident, PO3 Leroy Baguio of the Homicide Section said, a house across where the victim and the witnesses gathered was stoned by someone.

Navales, in an interview, said that upon learning this, he approached the group to confront them. He said this was when someone from behind him shot the victim.

“Akong giduol labi na kay gabii na kaayo. Miaksyon sila ug panghawa pero nagpabilin tong biktima. Nganong muhawa daw siya wala man siya’y gibuhat. Bag-o ra daw siya naabot didto. Samtang nanawag ko sa pulis, didto sa likod nako, naay namusil unya ang kadtong namatay ang giigo,” he said.

Boyo said he went to respond to the area after hearing that there was a commotion. He was approaching the area when he was pointed to as the assailant, which he denied.

Boyo was submitted to a paraffin test to determine if he was really the one who shot the victim. – (FREEMAN)