Suspect in Argao shooting faces murder complaint

CEBU, Philippines - A complaint was filed before the prosecutor’s office yesterday morning against the suspect in last Friday’s bus shooting, which left one person killed and two others injured, in Argao town.

Danilo Puerto is facing a murder charge for allegedly shooting his close friend, Junjun Espina, to death.

The complainant, Narciso Espina, the victim’s father, filed the complaint before the office of Cebu Provincial prosecutor Ferdinand Collantes.

Argao Police Station chief Insp. Alan Batobalunos said James Espina, the victim’s brother, was a witness to the incident.

Puerto surrendered to the police after allegedly shooting Espina. They were close friends and are identified as members of so-called “Tisa Boys” of Argao.

Last Friday, the two got into a fight with Ceres bus driver Luciano Bustamante.

Bustamante was driving a bus en route to Cebu City from Oslob town when he got into trouble with Puerto and Espina in Argao.

He said while they were caught in traffic in Barangay Poblacion, he noticed hands slamming on the rear of the bus. When he turned, he saw Espina driving a trisikad.

Espina then went up the bus and accused the driver of trying to sideswipe him. Espina got off the vehicle after he was shouted at by one of the passengers.

However, a burst of gunfire then rang out which prompted the passengers inside the bus to scramble for cover. Puerto was trying to shoot Bustamante but accidentally hit Espina instead.

A certain John Cahilig, a friend of Espina and Puerto who was trying to stop Puerto was hit and injured. Espina succumbed to a gunshot wound to his back. – (FREEMAN)