3 killed in drunken gunfight

MANILA, Philippines - Two neighbors, harboring old grudges against each other, engaged in a gun duel during a village fiesta in Caloocan City Sunday night, killing three people.

Senior Superintendent Jude Santos, Caloocan City police chief, said “dueler” Emmanuel Mendoza, 46, a resident of Barangay 31 in Dagat-Dagatan, is confined at Philippine Orthopedic Hospital in Quezon City after a bullet broke his right arm.

His “opponent,” Denis Edosma, surrendered to the local police at around noon yesterday.

“No guns were recovered but both suspects were identified by the witnesses,” Santos told The STAR.

Santos said that at around 10 p.m. Sunday, a drunken Mendoza confronted Edosma, who was also having a drink with his friends in front of Laura Ilagan’s house, about an old dispute.

At the height of their shouting match, the suspects both drew their handguns and started shooting. Their gunfight resulted in the deaths of Ilagan, 48; Cresente Serna Jr., 20; and their visitor, Genesis Al Elcano, 31. The three victims were playing a card game nearby.

Santos ordered his men yesterday to conduct a deeper investigation into the case and to file “appropriate” charges against the suspects. – Jerry Botial, Pete Laude