Murder raps up vs mall shooter

CEBU, Philippines - Authorities are preparing murder charges against an alleged agent of the Games and Amusement Board (GAB) in relation to the death of a retired member of the Philippine Army last Friday night.

The suspect, Alfredo Gomire, 52, of Aurora Subdivision, Iloilo City, is now recuperating at the Iloilo St. Paul's Hospital after sustaining injuries himself. On the other hand, Marcos Cahuya, 46, officer-in-charge of Night Hawk Security Agency and resident of Zone 4, Baluarte, Molo, Iloilo City, was declared dead on arrival at the St. Therese Hospital.

Cahuya succumbed to 10 gunshot wounds - one on his neck, two on his chest, and seven on his abdomen.

According to Jomhel Barnuevo, janitorial personnel assigned at SM Department Store in Delgado Street, Iloilo City, he was cleaning the men's restroom when he heard a brief confrontation between Gomire and Cahuya.

Barnuevo said it was Cahuya who first fired at Gomire. Cahuya was reportedly leaving the rest room when he bumped into Gomire. Cahuya was heard saying, "Ari ka man lang gali di nga g-g- ka" before pulling out his .45 caliber pistol and shooting Gomire.

Witnesses claimed to have heard four gunshots but Gomire was hit only twice on his body.

Thinking that he had knocked Gomire out, Cahuya reportedly went back inside the restroom, counted the remaining bullets in his gun, and even changed the magazine of his firearm. As he was heading out the door, bursts of gunfire from Gomire's gun stopped him on his tracks. Witnesses said Cahuya's gun might have jammed, which prevented him from firing back.

Except from a janitress, no one else was at the nearby women's restroom.

Security guards reportedly did not immediately respond to the incident until personnel from the Iloilo City Police Station 1 arrived. It was the authorities who also brought the two men to the hospitals.

Recovered from the crime scene was Gomires' Taurus caliber .40 pistol with one magazine loaded with two bullets, Cahuya's caliber .45 pistol, 19 empty shells, 11 fired bullets, two pairs of slippers, a crash helmet, and a black holster.

The incident damaged an electric tread mill worth P57,995 owned by Sports House while a bullet also pierced a automated teller machine situated nearby.

Investigators are looking at old grudge as the motive of the incident. Cahuya allegedly suspected Gomire as the brain behind the arrest of his elder brother sometime in January 2010. Cahuya's brother was arrested at a checkpoint for illegal possession of firearm and was later charged for violating the election gun ban.

Cabuya believed that Gomire, an agent of a unit under the Department of Justice, tipped the police to intercept his brother at the checkpoint. - THE FREEMAN