Drunk watchman kills 2, injures another

MANILA, Philippines – Two persons, including a seven-year-old boy, died after a drunk barangay watchman allegedly fired at them in Taguig City on Dec. 31.

Mark Angelo Diego went into a coma due to a bullet wound to his head and died at the Ospital ng Makati on Friday night, police said.

Another victim, John Edward Pascual, 25, suffered gunshot wound in the chest and died at past 8 a.m. yesterday at the said hospital.

Taguig police chief Superintendent Arthur Asis has ordered a massive manhunt for Reymundo Liza, 40, who went into hiding after the shooting incident.

Initial reports said the boy’s family and their guests were celebrating the New Year’s Eve and his father’s birthday outside their house on Bulusan street, Barangay Pinagsama when Liza arrived on a motorcycle armed with a .45-caliber pistol.

Police said Liza pulled out the gun and shot Pascual several times. One of the bullets hit the boy.

Liza, a watchman in Barangay Southside, Makati City, was apparently irked by the noise coming from the Diego family’s celebration.

Another guest of the boy’s father, Israel Lava, was hurt after he was hit by a stray bullet. He is recuperating in the hospital.

The Makati and Taguig police have launched a joint operation to arrest the suspect.

In the northern part of Metro Manila, five people were wounded after being shot in separate incidents in Caloocan, Malabon and Navotas during the New Year revelry.

Police identified the victims as Mario Vicente Jr., 30; Erwin Villasis, 24; Joseph Soriano, 21, and couple Remalyn Roque, 23 and Jomar Amita, 27.      – With Ghio Ong