Councilman shoots burglar mauling storeowner

CEBU, Philippines - A suspected robber landed in the hospital after he was shot by a barangay councilman who caught him mauling a woman inside her store in R. Padilla St., Barangay Duljo-Fatima, Cebu City yesterday dawn.

The woman, 29-year-old Lesslee Lapuz, owns the store that the alleged robber, Rochele Camuta, 23, attempted to burglarize.

Investigation showed that Camuta, who lives near the victim's house, forcibly entered the back door of the sari-sari store owned by Lapuz at past 3 a.m. yesterday.

Lapuz was sleeping at the store and was awakened by the strange sounds. She verified what these were, but Camuta struck her in the forehead with an empty beer bottle.

Camuta also mauled Lapuz black and blue.

"Gikulata g'yud niya ug maayo ang babaye. Ipa-X-ray gani 'to kay allegedly nabalian daw ug gusok," said Chief Insp. Ranulfo Espina, chief of Mambaling Police Station that investigates the incident. (We heard she would need an x-ray for a broken rib.)

Barangay councilman Jesus Alicaya, whose house is about five meters away from Lapuz's store, heard the victim's shouts for help. He rushed outside and when he entered the store, the suspect pulled a gun from his waist to shoot the barangay official but the councilman was quick enough to shoot the suspect first using his licensed caliber .45 Norinco pistol.

The suspect, whose face was covered with a cloth, was hit on the hip.

Barangay tanod Ranulfo Barason in an interview said neighbors responded to the incident and helped the councilman in arresting the suspect.

One of those who first came to the scene was the suspect's father, Barason said.

"Iya untang tiwasan ug bunal unya pagtangtang niya sa taptap, nakurat siya nga iya diay nga anak," Barason said. (The father was about to hit the suspect but he was surprised to see that it was his son.)

Alicaya eventually arrested Camuta, who was taken to the Cebu City Medical Center and is being guarded by policemen from the Mambaling Police Station.

Police recovered from the crime scene the caliber .38 revolver and three bullets allegedly used by Camuta.

The victim also underwent treatment at the CCMC while the councilman surrendered his firearm to the Mambaling Police for custody.

Espina said the councilman won't have any criminal liability in shooting Camuta.

"Ma-justify man ang iyang pagpusil kay armed man ang suspek," Espina told The Freeman. (The suspect was armed so the councilman's act of shooting him is justified.)

Neighbors told the police that Camuta is a drug dependent. The police will file a case for robbery with physical injuries against him tomorrow.

Meanwhile, a teenager died after he was allegedly shot by his rival over a girl in Barangay Tinaan, Naga City at past 12 a.m. yesterday.

Police identified the fatality as Giovani Flores, 19, and the suspects as Alfredo Geraldizo, 18, an alleged member of a gang, and a 17-year-old companion. The two suspects eluded arrest.

Investigation showed that Flores and Geraldizo have been at odds since the victim became the boyfriend of a 17-year-old girl, who was formerly a girlfriend of the suspect.

As further reported, the victim just arrived from her hometown in Davao City last Friday together with the girl who is pregnant. The two temporarily live at the house of the girl's grandparents.

Around 10 p.m.  last Saturday, the couple was awakened by noise on the rooftop. The suspects were throwing stones at the house.

The victim went outside and was asked by Geraldizo to talk with him to iron out their differences.

Geraldizo then excused himself but returned to shoot the victim.

The victim was hit on his left armpit. He was taken to the Minglanilla District Hospital but he no longer made it there alive.

The responding police failed to arrest the suspects./JPM (FREEMAN)