Assailants choke, shoot man

CEBU, Philippines – A resident of Barangay Basak, Lapu-Lapu City was grabbed on the arm, choked and reportedly shot in the foot by riding-in-tandem suspects while he was walking on the road Thursday night.

Harold Augusto, 32, interestingly a resident of Purok Shooting on the barangay, was loitering in the street before the incident happened, according to police accounts.

Homicide investigation of Police Officer 3 John Carlo Jocutan of Lapu-Lapu City Police Office revealed that one of the suspects was only identified as "Patoy," who reportedly resides in Purok Judas Belt in Barangay Babag. The shooting took place around 7 in the evening.

While the victim was loitering, the two suspects onboard a motorcycle stopped in front of Augusto. One of the suspects, the Patoy's backrider, got off the motorcycle and allegedly grabbed Augusto and strangled his neck.

From a distance, Patoy, the driver, waited with his motorcycle, police said. The other suspect, armed with a gun, then pointed a gun on Augusto and pulled the trigger, hitting one of Augusto's feet.

The suspects fled to escape from the responding police officers of LCPO Station 3 and elements of Special Weapons and Tactics.

Augusto managed to run and seek for help. He was immediately rushed to the Lapu-Lapu City District Hospital by the barangay tanod who saw him with a wounded foot. An empty shell of a bullet was recovered at the crime scene, believed to be from a 9mm pistol.

Jocutan said the police are conducting follow-up operation to possibly arrest the suspects and identify the motive of the crime.