Robbers shot dead

CEBU, Philippines - Three men, two of them suspected robbers, were gunned down while another man was injured in separate shooting incidents in Cebu City and Dalaguete town.

In the first incident, City Intelligence Branch personnel was forced to shoot at two suspected robbers while respon-ding to a robbery alarm along N. Bacalso Ave., Barangay Labangon, Cebu City around 8:40 p.m. Wednesday.

The suspects were only identified as a certain “Caloy” and “Along” who each suffered multiple gunshot wounds in the body for trying to retaliate against the operatives.

Prior to that, three female victims went to the office of the CIB to report of a passenger jeepney robbery which prompted the police to respond.

“Naluoy man ko nagtan-aw kay nagkurog man intawon to ang tulo ngari sa opisina mao among girespondihan,” CIB chief Chief Insp. Romeo Santander said in a phone interview, adding that they only have the description of the suspects based on what was supplied by the victims.

Santander said they received a report that suspects just came from a pot session at the area and the police went there to verify. Police saw the suspects and approached them, but one of them pulled out a .38 cal. revolver and fired at the police but the gun misfired.

Santander said they had no other choice but to shoot at the suspects, killing them instantly.

“Lisod og kita ang maunhan kay nakakablit na pero wala lang kabuto,” the CIB chief said.

Police recovered two .38 cal. revolvers with four and two bullets each, 10 empty shells of .45 cal. pistol, a slug, a .45 cal. round, one silver necklace believed to belong to one of the victims, and P200 cash.

The bodies of the suspects are now at the St. Francis Funeral Homes.

In Dalaguete town, a construction worker died while his companion is in critical condition after they were shot by lone assailant early morning yesterday past 1 a.m. in Barangay Proper Balud, Dalaguete.

The fatality was identified as Exequel Tecson, a native of Siaton, Negros Oriental, and currently residing at the place, who succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds in different parts of his body.

Tecson’s companion, Manuel Bustamante Arado, 37, also a construction worker, also suffered multiple gunshot wounds. He was rushed to the Julio Cardinal Rosales Hospital but was later referred to a hospital in Cebu City.

PO3 Nelson Saquibal, investigator, said the victims were heading to a store to buy coconut wine when the assailant, who was on board a motorcycle stopped and approached Tecson and talked with him for a bit.

A few minutes later, the assailant pulled out a gun and shot Tecson several times before he shot Arado who was about a few meters away from them.

“Akong tan-aw niuna og lakaw ning ikaduha kay medyo unahan man siya og gamay sa usa,” Saquibal said.

He added that the victims were said to be involved in theft incidents in the area, but they have yet to verify such report.  (FREEMAN)