Man slain by nephew; love triangle triggers shooting

CEBU, Philippines - A man who is allegedly mentally-challenged was shot dead by no less than his own nephew in Barangay Paypay, Daanbantayan last Friday morning.

The victim was allegedly “buwanon (lunatic),” and went amok before he was shot dead by his nephew, Jeffrey Punay Mondejar. Both are of legal ages and residents of the said place.

PO3 Dennis Velez of Daanbantayan Police Station, said Punay reportedly went amok at the house of one Joseph Cruz at 8 am. Mondejar appeared and tried to pacify his uncle but an altercation ensued between them.

Witnesses then heard a burst of gunfire and saw Mondejar chasing and shooting the victim until he fell down.

Responding policemen led by SPO1 Herminio Marindoque found the victim lying in the walkway near the suspect’s house. He succumbed to gunshot wounds on the left side of his head and on the right side of his body.

Velez said Marindoque and his companion looked for the suspect to arrest him but Mondejar had already escaped. At 3:30 pm, the suspect, accompanied by his relatives, went to the police station and surrendered but the gun used in the shooting was not recovered.

“Iyang first alibi was armas daw to sa biktima natagak. Iya na sad giingon na gilabay daw niya ang armas after sa shooting, (His first alibi was that the victim’s gun fell but then he later said he threw the gun after shooting incident.)” Velez said.

He added that the relatives might have kept the gun.

Mondejar is now detained while police wait for the decision of the victim’s family to file charges against the suspect.

Meanwhile, a 30-year-old man who caused a commotion upon seeing his former live-in partner together with a construction watchman, was shot in Barangay Arpili, Balamban yesterday.

Jason Romero Dandan, 30, of Sitio Tunga, Barangay Cantuod, is still in critical condition due to a gunshot wound in the lower left part of his chest. He was taken to the Balamban Provincial Hospital and later referred to a hospital in Cebu City.

Now subject of a manhunt operation is Jose “Jomel” Montero Jr., 37, of Barangay Arpili and a watchman of the ULB Construction and Engineering Services located in the said place.

PO1 Rodney Cambarijan, of the Balamban Police Station, said that Dandan’s former live-in partner, Cheryl Torion, went to the said construction firm to apply for a job.

Montero who is a friend of Torion invited her for lunch. The two were already eating when Dandan saw them.

The victim started confronting the two and later pulled Torion away from Montero allegedly because of jealousy.

Montero then tried to confront Dandan and defended Torion but instead of calming down, Dandan started a fistfight.

In the middle of the commotion, Montero pulled out his firearm, with an undetermined caliber, and shot Dandan. Montero managed to hit Dandan once before fleeing on foot.  (FREEMAN)