Girl killed, parents injured in Pinamungajan shooting

CEBU, Philippines - An 11-year-old girl died while her parents were injured when they were shot by two suspects onboard a motorcycle in Barangay Tutay, Pinamungajan, at around 5:30 Wednesday afternoon.

Mary Joy Eramis, a grade six student of Tutay Elementary School died while her parents, Lea Eramis, 34, and Roan Eramis, 31, were injured. The Eramis family are from Sitio Sta. Cruz, Barangay Sacsac, of the same town.

Mary Joy, who was seated at the back portion of the vehicle, succumbed to a gunshot wound to the left side of her body and was declared dead on arrival at the Pinamungajan District Hospital.

Lea, who was seated in the passenger seat, sustained a gunshot wound in the left thigh while her husband, Roan, who was driving, was injured in his left arm. Both were rushed to the Don Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City after they were given first aid treatment at the district hospital.

The suspect, Perfecto Dacoma, 40, of Barangay Esperanza, Aloguinsan, was arrested at his residence yesterday morning and is now detained at the Pinamungajan police stockade pending the filing of criminal charges in court.

The victims were reportedly heading towards Barangay Poblacion onboard their multicab pick-up with canopy bearing plate number YFB-362.

Homicide investigator PO2 Marciano Suarez Jr. said the suspects, onboard a Honda Wave motorcycle bearing plate numbers 1122GG, were allegedly waiting for the victims to reach a corner heading towards Barangay Poblacion.

Upon reaching the place, Dacoma reportedly pulled out a firearm with an undetermined caliber and shot at the victims. This caused those who were at the scene to run for cover. 

Police recovered two empty shells of a .45 caliber, a yellow T-shirt, and a red jacket with hood.

During the hot pursuit operation, Dacoma was arrested through information from a police asset. He was also positively identified by Lea and Roan as the gunman.

Suarez said that the motive of the crime was the possible involvement of Roan in the illegal drugs trade.

Roan was allegedly a known drug personality in Cebu City and was the subject of a search warrant before but eluded the arrest.

He is also in the drug watchlist of the Provincial Intelligence Branch.

“Possible wa ni ka-remit, mao man gyud nay kasagaran, (He possibly wasn’t able to remit. That’s what usually happens.)” he said in a phone interview.

Meanwhile, a barangay tanod was shot dead by a fugitive in the mountain barangay of Canbantog, Argao, over an alleged personal grudge.

Constancio Villegas, 53, succumbed to three gunshot wounds in different parts of his body after he was shot by Josilito “Eyet” Albeso.

The incident was witnessed by Sammy Cimafranca, of Barangay Langtad, and a worker of the Argao Communications Center.

Cimafranca was reportedly fixing the repeater in the area, about 30 meters away from the scene, when he saw Albeso shot Villegas thrice hitting him in the face, abdomen, and back portion of the body.

Albeso allegedly noticed Cimafranca and fired at him, but missed.

Albeso eluded the arrest.

Insp. Alejandro Batobalonos, Argao police chief, said Albeso has a pending arrest warrant for murder.

“We conducted a raid before but nakalayat na siya sa sapa wa namo madakpi,(…he jumped into the river and we weren’t able to arrest him.)” Batobalonos said in a phone interview.

Batobalonos suspected that the active participation of Villegas in informing the police of Albeso’s whereabouts could be the motive of the crime. - THE FREEMAN