Condo duel in Ermita: 1 dead

A 43-year-old businessman was killed when he traded shots with a Chinese-Filipino trader inside the latter’s condominium unit in Ermita, Manila the other night.

Killed on the spot was Wilson Condez, of Diamond Village, Imus, Cavite. He sustained two gunshot wounds in the arm and abdomen.

Responding policemen arrested Emilio Ong Sr., 36, of Room 1802-C of the Gotesco Regency Twin Towers located on Natividad Lopez, Ermita.

A caliber .45 pistol with five bullets was seized from the suspect.

Initial investigation revealed that a certain Sammy Chua earlier figured in a verbal altercation with the suspect over the phone.

Some 15 minutes later, Chua and Condez arrived at the suspect’s condo unit.

As Chua and Ong resumed their verbal exchange, Condez allegedly pulled out a caliber .38 revolver and fired at Ong.

The gun, however, malfunctioned.

Ong then rushed toward a television cart, from which he pulled out a caliber .45 pistol.

He fired and hit Condez in the arm. Though wounded, Condez was able to pull the trigger once more, but again the gun would not fire.

The suspect then shot Condez in the abdomen.

Chua tried to help his friend reach the building exits, but he was already dead when they reached the elevator.

Chua fled, leaving behind Condez.

At police headquarters, Ong opted to remain silent while waiting for his lawyer.

Investigators are now trying to locate the whereabouts of Chua to shed light on the shooting incident.

Meanwhile, police arrested a 55-year-old owner of a security agency after he was implicated in the shooting of two youths in Sampaloc, Manila last Sunday night.

The mother of 17-year-old victim Teofilo Silahis Jr. positively identified Ernesto Millanes, a member of the Council of Elders of the Sta. Cruz police station, as the gunman.

Millanes denied the accusation, claiming he was somewhere else with friends when the shooting occurred near Lerma street in Sampaloc.

Millanes said he had no motive for shooting the victims.

The other victim, Ronald Juliana, 22, who was wounded in the leg, failed to identify the suspect.