Ex-mayoralty bet wounded in shooting incident

CEBU, Philippines — A former mayoralty candidate in Boljoon town in southern Cebu has sustained a gunshot wound after he was allegedly shot by his own cousin on Saturday morning.

Jose Emmanuel Serna "Manny" Derama, 62, sustained a gunshot wound in his right knee after he was shot several times by Adrian Anthony Derama Perello, 54, in Barangay Granada in the said town.

Police Staff Sergeant Werwin Oyao, investigator on the case of Boljoon Police Station, said Derama is now under a stable condition and is recuperating in a private hospital in Cebu City.

Perello, a tricycle driver, was arrested hours after the shooting incident by the responding policemen during a hot pursuit operation in Barangay Poblacion where he and the victim are residing.

Initial investigation revealed that they have a history of disagreement which may have triggered during a recent argument that prompted the suspect to shoot the victim.

Oyao said the two men reportedly figured in an argument at around 9 a.m. on the same day prior to the shooting incident.

Both of them challenged each other to a fistfight and agreed to meet at the town's public cemetery situated in Barangay Granada.

An hour after the argument, Derama left his residence on board his motorcycle heading to Santander town to do some errands when he saw Perello in front of the cemetery sitting his parked motorcycle on the other side of the road.

Upon seeing the suspect, he stopped and parked his vehicle about 15 meters away from the suspect.

Derama alleged that when he was about to open his utility box to get his knuckles, Perello shot him several times hitting his right knee.

Perello immediately fled the area onboard his motorcycle while Derama was brought to a hospital in Dalaguete town but was immediately referred to a private hospital in Cebu City for immediate treatment.

Police have recovered 12 pieces of empty cartridges of caliber .9mm pistol in the crime scene.

Oyao said that the suspect's arresting police officers were not able to recover the firearm as Perello allegedly threw it after the shooting incident.

Derama denied that he had brought a firearm when the incident happened.

Oyao said that Perello is subjected to a paraffin test to determine the presence of gun powder residue while Derama also requested to do the same to support his claim.

Oyao further said they also subjected the suspect to a drunk test citing that he was reportedly drunk the night prior to the incident. — GMR (FREEMAN)