Fruit vendor shot dead in Labangon

CEBU, Philippines - A fruit vendor died after he was shot by three men riding a motorcycle along Katipunan St., Barangay Labangon at 4 am yesterday.

Manuel Dela Concepcion, 38, was sprawled dead inside the Public Utility Jeepney where he was shot by the gunman.

Dela Concepcion, a resident of Barangay Napo, Carcar City, boarded the PUJ bearing plate numbers GWD 929 at Sanciangko St. and headed for Barangay Labangon prior to the incident. He was with his relative and neighbor, Renato Lauronilla, 26.

When the PUJ reached Katipunan St., near the corner of Camomot Drive, three men onboard a motorcycle blocked and stopped the PUJ.

As the two back riders of the motorcycle alighted and looked inside the PUJ, Lauronilla, also a fruit vendor, disembarked and ran away.

One of the backriders then shot Dela Concepcion, who remained inside the PUJ. He was hit in the upper chest.

The assailants boarded the waiting motorcycle and the driver sped off towards N. Bacalso Avenue.

Rolando Rabanes, 52, driver of the PUJ, drove his vehicle towards the nearby Labangon barangay hall and sought assistance.

Paramedics of the Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation (ERUF) assessed the victim as dead while police recovered an empty shell apparently of a caliber .45 pistol from the crime scene.

Police also recovered the victim’s wallet containing P890, two pieces of tin foils, cellular phone, lighter and a fruit weighing scale.

SPO3 Rey Cuyos of the Homicide Section said they were able to get in touch with Lauronilla, who disclosed that the victim sniffed illegal drugs at A. Lopez St. past 5pm the other day. Lauronilla said he waited for dela Concepcion at that time.

Cuyos said they are eyeing illegal drugs as the motive behind the attack, but they are not discounting other possible angles.

Meanwhile, two persons were injured when a man who was believed to have been under the influence of liquor, indiscriminately fired his revolver towards the pavement hitting the victims early morning yesterday in Barangay Sta. Cruz, Balamban.

Michelle Sabalande, 22, of Barangay Prenza and Jelly Ann Galo, 20, of A. Lopez St., Cebu City, sustained minor injuries in their abdomens. They were taken to the Balamban Provincial Hospital’s Outpatient Department for treatment.

Edsel Onyo, 22, of Barangay Baliwagan was arrested and is currently detained at the Balamban stockade. Police confiscated from him a .38 revolver with three bullets and one empty shell.

A case for violation of RA 8294 or illegal possession of firearms is set to be filed today at the Cebu Provincial Prosecutor’s Office.

SPO3 Arvie Banate, Balamban investigator, said the victims and suspect just came out of the Esperanza Binghay Memorial Complex at 4:00a.m. where a disco concert was held when Onyo pulled out his revolver and shot at the pavement once.

The bullet ricocheted on the complex fence and hit the victims in the abdomen causing them injuries.

“Fragments lang ang nakaigo kay di man gyud ingon nga sila gyud ang gipuntirya,(The victims were just hit by fragments because they were not really the target.) ” Banate said in a phone interview.

Banate added that Onyo smelled of liquor when he was arrested at the scene.

He added they are still waiting for the complainant to appear at the police station for the filing of the case.— (FREEMAN)