Man shot dead over cellphone argument

A 34-year-old man was shot dead by a cellphone technician during an argument inside a mall in Mandaluyong City the other night.

Rodrigo Alver, of Barangay Mauway, Mandaluyong, died on the spot after he was shot in the stomach and chest.

Police are now hunting down the suspect who was only identified as Ding, a cellphone technician at the Parklea Center in EDSA-Crossing, who immediately fled the scene after the incident. He was armed with a caliber .9 mm gun.

Police said the victim, together with his friend, identified as Dener Tiquio, went to the stall of the suspect at around 7:15 p.m. to get the victim’s cellphone, a Nokia 3220, which he brought there last month for repair but the suspect failed to fix.

When the victim demanded the cellphone back, the suspect reportedly refused and asked for an additional P2,000 for the service. This started a heated argument which led to the victim’s death. – Sandy Araneta