2 killed, 5 others wounded in shooting

ORMOC CITY, Philippines — Two people were killed while five others, one of who was a 2-year-old girl, were wounded in a shooting incident at Brgy. Liberty of this city at about 3:30 p.m. Monday when the Ormoc City Police Safety Command (OCPSC) tried to serve arrest warrants to Danilo Dañas, the 2nd most wanted in the Ormoc City Police Office (OCPO) list.

Residents described the incident as "massacre" while the police operatives said there was a shootout although it seemed that, with some civilians hit and wounded, it may be a bungled operation that prompted people of the area to stone the authorities with anything from stones to tables.

The police's target for arrest, 41-year-old Danilo, was hit by a gunshot in the stomach and died at the hospital at 10 pm. or about six hours after the shooting. He had two warrants, one was for robbery with homicide, issued by RTC-Branch 35 Judge Apolinario Buaya last April 12, while the other one was for murder of a policeman, issued by then RTC-branch 12 Judge Francisco Gedorio in 2004.

Witnesses (on condition of anonymity) told The Freeman, that the operation turned sour when, after the first burst of gunfire, Dañas ran towards a group of civilians gathered in a birthday celebration. Allegedly, the volley of fire did not stop, thus hitting six people including the suspect in the house of barangay treasurer Danny Cañete.

The other fatality was Irish Dañas, 32, who was hit in the left buttocks and the first one to be declared dead by the attending physician. She sacrificed herself by covering a child from the gunfire. The child survived.

Those who were wounded were: 1) Jossebel Briton, 32, who was hit in the right leg; 2) Ailen Dañas, 17-year-old student, who was hit in the left back portion of the shoulder and lower back spinal cord area; 3) Lyka Cañete, 2, who was hit in the leg; 4) Leonides Negura, 28, who was hit in the right arm; and 5) Emelyn Calub, 33, who was hit in the lower part of the ear and was in critical condition, as of press time yesterday.

A survivor, barangay councilwoman Gina Manidlangan, 39, said the victims, except for the wanted person, were inside the house and were drinking and watching TV when they heard gunfire. She said she tried to look out at the window to see what the commotion was, thinking it was fireworks or firecrackers. Shortly after, Danilo, the wanted person, came rushing into the house, bloodied, and fell down the floor by the kitchen. Later, she saw the others in the house fell one after the other. All of them were wounded.

Reports have it that the police officers, serving the arrest warrant, were led by Insp. Ariel Nuñez of the OCPSC. There was no clear incident report yet from the police but a copy of the follow-up report obtained from the OCPO stated that recovered from the scene were a grenade, a .38-caliber paltik revolver with two live ammos and three spent cartridges.

The OCPO is now investigating the incident and has ordered all personnel involved in the operation to be subjected to ballistic and paraffin tests. — THE FREEMAN