Woman, son hurt in strafing

CEBU, Philippines - A 55-year-old woman and her 13-year-old son were wounded after unidentified gunmen strafed their house Tuesday evening at Barangay Golgota in Janiuay town of Iloilo.

Shirley Tidula sustained a graze wound on her head and is now treated at Federico Roman Tirador Sr. Memorial District Hospital, while her son was hit on the leg through and through his abdomen and is now confined at the Western Visayas Medical Center.

Reports said the Tidula couple and their three children were about to sleep when bursts of gunfire were heard.

Nardo, one of the couple’s sons said he immediately ducked but later peeped through the window, and saw two men fleeing from their house. He later saw his bloodied mother and brother and immediately rushed the two to the hospital.

The police recovered from the scene five fired shells and one dud of an M14 rifle, four spent shells and four slugs of a .45-caliber pistol.

Senior Inspector Fernand Limbungan, Janiuay Police chief, said they have yet to identify the suspects. But they surmised that Nardo’s involvement with some misconduct might have something to do with the incident.

Nardo was said to be a member of a group that has been involved in trouble making in Janiuay town. In August 2014, he was a suspect of a stabbing incident, but later on November, he became the victim of a stabbing episode. —  (FREEMAN)