Senior citizen hurt in shooting along T. Padilla

CEBU, Philippines — A 64-year-old woman was injured after a stray bullet hit her following a shooting incident Tuesday evening, July 16, outside a small casino in T. Padilla Extension in Barangay Tejero, Cebu City.

The victim was identified as Elina Belandres, 64, a resident of Sitio Tevil, Barangay Tejero, Cebu City, who was playing inside the casino when the incident happened.

Initial investigation by authorities revealed that the intended target of the unidentified gunman was 16-year-old Joshua Viagracia, also a resident of Sitio Tevil, Barangay Tejero.

Viagracia was sitting on a white motorcycle parked outside the establishment when the assailant, on board a motorcycle, pulled out a pistol and fired two shots at him.

The stray bullets penetrated the wall of the establishment and struck Belandres in the elbow. She was quickly transported to Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center for treatment.

Responding police officers recovered two .45 caliber bullet casings and one deformed slug from the crime scene.

Police Major John Lynbert Yango, Chief of Waterfront Police Station 3, stated that the intended target managed to evade the shots and ran inside the establishment.

Kato nga target nga mao untay pusilon, nakalikay to siya, nakadagan pasulod unya gisundan og tira, katong bungbong nga ga atubang sa karsada is hardiflex so nakasulod tong duha ka bala ni banda sa bungbong og nakaigo sa lain na bystander nga naa sulod mismo sa establishment,  said Yango.

Authorities described the suspect as wearing a light-colored jacket and shorts, with a white helmet. He fled the scene on a blue motorcycle with a covered plate number, heading towards the corner of MJ Cuenco Avenue.

Ang plate number sa motor gi coveran niya, gisapawan Nangita pamig area na makasagap og sakto na footage sa suspect, Yango added.

The motive for the shooting is allegedly drug-related, according to Yango, who said Viagracia s father had warned his son that his employer was angry over unremitted P200,000 to P300,000 from drug sales. However, this information is still being verified.

A hot pursuit and follow-up operation is still ongoing to apprehend the suspect. — /ATO (FREEMAN)