Shooting victim survives; drugs link eyed anew

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines – Another shooting incident took place at 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, the third since Superintendent Jovito Atanacio assumed the post as officer-in-charge of the Dumaguete City Police, a month ago.

The latest victim, identified as 53-year-old Rolando Artus of Barangay Taclobo in this city, sustained gunshot wounds in his left hand, left thigh and the right portion of his back.

Police said Artus was standing in front of a bakery in Taclobo when two men, riding in tandem on a motorcycle, fired at him several times, hitting him thrice before fleeing from the scene.

At the emergency room of the hospital, Artus lamented why would somebody wanted to kill him when he was no longer engaged in the illegal drugs trade, although he admitted of being still a drug user.

The victim’s elder brother, Bobby, was shot dead earlier this year by still unidentified assailants, the motive of which was traced to the illegal drugs trade.

The City Police, on this latest incident, now has leads on the identity of the suspects because one or two persons may have seen the getaway motorcycle. Artus, for his part, could only describe the gunman as approximately 5’8” in height, and light in build.

Meanwhile yesterday afternoon, the youngest among the Artus brothers, 43-year-old Fernando “alias Tata,” was also arrested in a buy-bust operation at Taclobo, conducted jointly by the Provincial Intelligence Branch-Special Operations Group in coordination with the City Police headed by Atanacio.

Confiscated from Fernando were two sachets of shabu, with an estimated Dangerous Drugs Board’s value of P24,000.