3 die in separate shootings

CEBU, Philippines - A rookie policeman shot dead an alleged intruder inside his house Sunday evening in sitio Katugasan, barangay Casili, Consolacion town.

PO1 Marciano Verdida, 30, married, native of Tabogon town and presently residing at the place, was roused from sleep by noise that came from the back of his house at around 11:00 p.m.

Verdida got out of bed to investigate.

At this point, Verdida saw neighbor Roldan Gonzales, 42, married, and a native of Maasin, Southern Leyte inside the house.

Insp. Socrates Medillo, deputy chief, said Gonzales gained entry through an unfinished portion of the kitchen.

Verdida immediately drew his Norinco .45 cal. pistol and shot Gonzales, once hitting him on the left shoulder which caused his immediate death.

Verdida voluntarily surrendered to the Consolacion Police Station after the incident but Consolacion police failed to recover the firearm Verdida used.

Verdida is currently assigned as a jailer at the Lapu-Lapu City Police Station.

An investigator from the Crime Scene Investigation of the Cebu Provincial Police Office who collated evidence at the scene recovered a .45 cal. pistol with a magazine loaded with eight bullets, a spent cartridge of the same caliber, and a bottle of rugby. 

Also found were two packets containing alleged shabu and drug paraphernalia inside the right pocket of the pair of short pants Gonzales was wearing.

The body was taken to the Maturan Funeral Homes in Liloan town for autopsy examination.

Verdida is now detained at the Consolacion stockade.

Meanwhile, three hours later, two persons were also shot dead in Toledo City.

A 39-year-old man was shot dead while arguing with another man at a cockpit in sitio Buswang, barangay Cambang-ug at 3:30 p.m.

Joseph Sepada, of barangay Magdugo was gunned down by a certain Junjun Abadinas, 32, of barangay Gen. Climaco.

SPO3 Henry Acosta said Joseph was with his elder brother, Lucilo Sepada at the cockpit when Abadinas challenged the umpire’s decision.

“Gusto sa umpire nga tablahon ang duha ka manok unya daghan man og nangreklamo,” Acosta said in a phone interview.

While Abadinas argued with Lucilo,  Abadinas drew a handgun and shot Joseph hitting him on the chest.

Joseph may have died on the spot or en route to the Toledo City Hospital.

In another incident, Anecito Labajo, 39, of barangay Poog, Toledo City, was shot dead by two unidentified men on a motorcycle bearing no plate number.

SPO1 Thule Tahadlangit said Labajo and  companions were sitting along the road at around past 6:00 p.m. when a motorcycle stopped near Labajo. The passenger behind the driver got off and fired at Labajo several times.

Labajo was taken to the Toledo City Hospital but did not reach it alive.

Police found four spent cartridges of a .45 cal. pistol, two slugs, a cellular phone, P30,838, and an ATM card.

The police have yet to determine the motive for the killing.  (FREEMAN)