Salimbangon asks PNP to solve shootings in 4th district

CEBU, Philippines - The house owned by the late parents of SPO4 Jose Nonette Medrano was shot by three unidentified men on board a motorcycle around 4:30 in the morning yesterday in Purok Rosal, Barangay Gairan, Bogo City.

Police have yet to determine the motive of the shooting. Jose is an escort of fourth district Representative Benhur Salimbangon.

Rosana Medrano, 53, an old maid sister of Jose, just woke up and was heading to the kitchen when the incident happened.

Chief Insp. Ceferino Tabay, Bogo City chief, said Rosana was about to prepare fresh lumpia, an order of a friend, when a motorcycle boarded by three unidentified men stopped before her house.

Two of the back riders shot four times the concrete wall and post of the house.

Fortunately nobody was injured. The gunmen immediately fled.

Police recovered two deformed slugs, one empty shell of .45 caliber and fragments of bullets believed from the firearm used by the gunmen.

Tabay said they could not determine if the target of the gunmen was Jose because his house was beside the house of his parents.

The bullet holes were also below the ceiling of the house showing that gunmen had no plan to shoot anyone.

“Possible warning lang ni pero ato pang imbestigaron,” Tabay claimed.

For his part, Cebu Provincial Police Office director Patrocinio Comendador said the incident will serve as a challenge not only for the PNP but also to the politicians and the community.

Salimbangon is calling the provincial police to closely look into the seemingly unabated violence in his district especially in Bogo City.

In an interview with The Freeman yesterday he said that he is already alarmed by the series of violence as within this month alone, there were already three casualties and other victims of violence.

Salimbangon said that early morning on Monday, a straffing incident occured at the house of his chief security, SPO4 Jose Nonette Medrano in Bogo City.

"I am calling the provincial police director to solve all of this kay mura og nagka grabe na gyud ang panghitabo sa Fourth District hilabi na gyud sa Bogo City," Salimbangon said.

Salimbangon added that when the straffing incident occured, Medrano was not around as the latter was with him since it was a holiday last Monday.

"Klaro nga pagpanghulga ni. This is politically motivated," Salimbangon further said.      - THE FREEMAN