Youngsters shoot security guard

CEBU, Philippines - A security guard died after he was shot by two men believed to be part of a group of youngsters earlier reprimanded by the victim, at dawn yesterday in sitio Tabay, Barangay Carreta, Cebu City.

The fatality was identified as Melvin Emoy, 49, married and a security guard working under Gradelock LSIA Employees Multi-purpose Cooperative Security Agency. He was detailed at MHR Warehouse in Humabon St. in the said barangay.

Information gathered by the police from the crime scene revealed that Emoy was doing his duty outside MHR Warehouse at 1 a.m. yesterday when two men suddenly appeared and shot him.

The security guard fell on the ground while the assailants ran towards the opposite side of the road leading to the interior portion of sitio Tabay.

Police responded to the area and saw the victim lying on his side, bathed in his own blood, and with a gunshot wound on the left side of his face.

Homicide Section investigators gathered further information that a week prior to the incident, the victim confronted some youngsters who attempted to rob a person. Since then, the said youngsters reportedly threatened the guard to be watchful.

Police recovered from the crime scene a caliber .38 revolver and a kitchen knife owned by the victim.

Meanwhile, a motorcycle-for-hire driver died after he was also shot by three men in Barangay Inayawan at past 10 p.m. last Wednesday.

Allan Baluyos died of at least 12 gunshot wounds in the body, SPO2 Ruth Violango of the Homicide Section said.

Roldan Abangan, 38, told the police that he was sitting at a bakery when he saw Baluyos came out of sitio Kulo walking while three men followed him behind. Suddenly, one of the three shot the victim several times.

The victim slumped on the ground while one of the assailants fired another shot before fleeing towards sitio Kulo.

Prior to the incident, the victim was reportedly drinking with Junard Reporte, Micos Bas, Edward Muro, and Eric Malazarte at a sari-sari store in sitio Kulo, afterwhich the victim was left alone.

Violango said they are not tagging Baluyos’ drinking buddies as the suspects behind the attack, but they are also not spared from the investigation yet.

She further said that they have gathered information that the victim, who works part-time as a habal-habal driver, has been reported in the barangay several time for snatching.

“Initially akong nakita, 12 kabala sa iyang lawas. Daghan g’yud tali galagot ani niya,” the police investigator said. (Initial count shows 12 bullets, a lot of people was probably angry at him.)     - THE FREEMAN