Three persons shot, injured while playing mahjong

CEBU, Philippines - Three persons playing mahjong were injured in different parts of their bodies when they were shot by one of five unidentified men onboard two motorcycles in Sitio Mohon, Barangay Langtad, Naga City at around 2:50 last Tuesday afternoon.

Naisel Baringue, 29, of Barangay Inoburan, sustained one gunshot wound in the smallest finger of his left hand while Nida Eredia, 53, and Giovanni Naval, 23, of the same barangay, sustained gunshot wounds in the left thigh and in the abdomen respectively.

The three were rushed to the Naga City Emergency Clinic while Naval was referred to the Don Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City for further treatment.

The victims were reportedly inside the house of Eredia, which was about a few meters away from the road, when two Honda XRM motorcycles colored black and blue and without plate numbers, stopped before the house.

Three men were onboard one of the motorcycles while the other motorcycle had two riders.

PO1 Nilo Daclis, of the Naga City Police Station, said one of the men riding in pillion reportedly disembarked and fired at the victims using an undetermined caliber of firearm while the four others waited.

The victims scampered towards different directions including those who were watching the game.

Though the gunman did not cover his face, witnesses failed to identify him.

The gunman was only described as wearing a pair of shades, brown T-shirt and a pair of short pants.

Daclis said the gunman took the money on the mahjong table and fired in the air once before leaving the scene onboard one of the motorcycles.

Police recovered one empty shell of .45 caliber and one slug.

Daclis said they are now looking into two possible motives of the crime such as Baringue’s alleged involvement in illegal drugs and his alleged involvement in theft incidents.

“Naa la’y estorya nga tiggamitan siya (Baringue) unya suspected responsible sa mga kawat, (There are talks that he is a drug user and is suspected to be responsible behind some thefts),” Daclis said in a phone interview.

Police are yet to verify the reports as the investigation is ongoing. — (FREEMAN)