Siblings shot dead, motive unknown

CEBU, Philippines - Two siblings were shot dead outside their house in St. Michale’s Village, Barangay Pajac, Lapu-Lapu City dawn yesterday.

The victims were identified as Sadam and Sonalia, 23 and 25 years old, respectively.

SPO2 Allan Pantaleon of the Lapu-Lapu City Police, said investigation revealed that the two, along with Sadam’s children and wife, Nonida, were already sleeping when they were awakened by the noise of objects thrown at their house at past 2 a.m.

Sadam and Sonalia were the ones who went out to check and were greeted with bullets, hitting them in different parts of their body.

Sadam’s wife and children were unharmed.

Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) recovered four empty shells of a .45 pistol and five empty shells of a .9 mm pistol, as well as two deformed slugs from the crime scene.

They also found plastic bottles filled with sand, which might have been the ones the suspect used to throw against the house.

Pantaleon said the assailant must have reached the area on foot as neighbors of the victims reportedly did not notice any vehicle arriving prior to hearing the gunshots.

As of yesterday, no motive was established.

“Wa pa'y motive (kay) gi-investigate pa,” Pantaleon said.

Sadam’s wife said she was not aware that anyone had an axe to grind against her husband, but police is not discounting the possibility that Sadam might have figured in some kind of trouble, considering that he was insistent on selling his tricycle and moving back to Mindanao.

Police found out that Sadam met with his father a few hours before the incident at around 10 p.m. and told him he would want to sell his tricycle as soon as possible. He reportedly would want to go back to Mindanao and start a business there.

Sadam’s father reportedly convinced Sadam to give the tricycle to him instead and gave Sadam money he can use to start his business.

Pantaleon said the bodies of the victims were buried immediately, a practice of the Muslim community. —/JMO (FREEMAN)