2 boys dead in gun accident

MANILA, Philippines – Two 10-year-old boys died when a gun went off by accident in Farola Compound, Manila yesterday morning.

Gerard San Jose and Jemar Lacson were killed by Estilo Cinco, 41, who was trying to stop his sister and brother-in-law from quarrelling on the street at around 6 a.m. 

Cinco fled with his shotgun after seeing the boys bleed and fall to the ground. The Manila Police District has launched a manhunt for him.

San Jose’s mother, Andrea, told The STAR that it was about 6 a.m. when their neighborhood awoke to the voice of Cinco’s sister, Maritess Ingente, who was shouting at her husband, Iggi, for going home drunk.

The Ingentes were shouting at each other and Cinco tried to mediate. When the two refused to stop quarreling, Cinco went into his shanty and grabbed his shotgun.

When he stepped out of his shanty, he cocked the gun and started hitting Iggi with its butt.

Afraid that Cinco would shoot him, Iggi turned to Andrea and used her as a human shield.

Cinco repeatedly hit Iggi, blaming him for refusing to heed his call. As Iggi pleaded with Cinco to stop, a gunshot rang out.

San Jose, who was 10 meters away from Cinco, fell to the ground as Lacson, his playmate, touched his chest, which was wet with blood. The shotgun pellets had hit Lacson in the chest and pierced San Jose’s skull.

The boys were rushed to the Gat Andres Medical Center but died while undergoing treatment.