Two women shot

CEBU, Philippines - A live-in partner of a mayor in Masbate was killed while a town councilor was injured when they were shot shortly after they arrived in Cebu City yesterday morning.

Crisanta Lauro, 39, reportedly a live-in partner of Mayor Hermigildo Betonio III of Pio V. Corpus town in Masbate, and her companion, municipal councilor Lenny Betonio Eser, were rushed to Chong Hua Hospital after the shooting.

Lauro, who is reportedly pregnant, sustained gunshot wounds to the head and chest, and was declared dead on arrival by the attending physician.

Eser, however, survived the attack with a gunshot wound in her left palm. She is reportedly a sister of the mayor.

SPO1 Victor Ruel Ayuman, investigator on case, said that the victims disembarked from a ship they boarded from Masbate and took a taxicab for Talisay City where Lauro and Mayor Betonio owned a house in a subdivision.

When the taxicab stopped on a red light signal at corner V. Sotto and S. Osmeña Streets, the assailants riding a motorcycle appeared.

The back rider, armed with a handgun, immediately fired at the victims several times.

Ayuman said that a bullet hit Lauro in the head while another hit her chest.

Police investigators later recovered three empty shells of a .45 pistol and a slug of an undetermined  firearm from the crime scene.

The attack also damaged the windshield of the taxicab.

The taxicab was subjected to trajectory examination at the Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory-7 in Camp Sotero Cabahug.

Cebu City Police Office director, Sr. Supt. Mariano Natu-el Jr., said the attack could be politically motivated as Lauro was connected to both former and current mayor of Pio V. Corpus town.

However, police are also pursuing personal angles.

Based on information received by Natu-el, Lauro was two months pregnant.

“Sa among info lang na nga na-receive pero we still have to subject her to autopsy,” Natu-el said in a phone interview.

A native of Danao City, Lauro’s his first marriage has reportedly been annulled.

Insult to police

Mayor Michael Rama said the incident was an insult to the authorities, directing law enforcers to go after the assailants.

Natu-el said they will do their best to solve the case.

“They (victims) are not from Cebu City but the crime happened in our area so we immediately conduct a case buildup to solve the incident,” Natu-el said.

Natu-el, at a case conference yesterday morning, directed ground and station commanders to coordinate in effort to arrest the assailants.

He ordered the City Intelligence Branch (CIB) and the Investigation and Detective Management Branch (IDMB) to help in the investigation.

The police official said they already coordinated with the authorities in Masbate, particularly the policemen in Pio V. Corpos town.

Chief Inspector Romeo Santander, CIB chief said that there’s a possibility that the suspects are coming here in Cebu.

There was a speculation that the crime could be politically motivated because Lauro is a live-in partner of a town mayor.

Gilbert Bernito, the driver of the taxi boarded by the victims, reportedly heard one of the women saying “Daan pa lagi ko, gisundan g’yud ta.”

Rama said the police in the city should prove that they are capable of identifying those behind the shooting.

Cebu City south district Rep. Tomas R. Osmeña criticized the implementation of gun ban that prohibits licensed firearm holders from carrying their guns. – With Rene U. Borromeo, and Christina B. Ybañez and Lovella G. Flores CNU /LPM (FREEMAN)