Gang kills American, 3 suspects arrested

CEBU, Philippines - A 76-year-old American national was shot dead Wednesday night by a gang of mostly highschoolers inside his apartment at Sanciangko St. in Cebu City.

Three of the five suspects were already in custody of the Cebu City Police Office, including a 16-year-old female fourth year high school student of Gothong National High School.

The female minor suspect together with another highschooler, a 17-year-old male second year high school student of Tungkop National High School in Minglanilla were arrested by the security guard of Sanchez apartment where the victim Leamon Wesley Casteen Jr. was staying.

Another suspect Jordan Cyril Galliste, 20, second year college student of the University of Cebu, who is said to be the gunman, voluntarily surrendered to the barangay captain of Tunghaan Minglanilla.

 Two other members of the gang including the 16-year-old girlfriend of the victim and a certain Aldez “Boboy” Flores, 27 remain at large.

The suspects who are members of the gang called “Tanduay Survivors Clan” went to see Casteen at 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The group who was with the victim’s girlfriend claimed they have scheduled a drinking session with Casteen.

Security Guard Nelson Barquio did not immediately allow all members of the group to enter the apartment. Barquio told the police that he only allowed the victim’s girlfriend, Flores and Galliste to go up leaving the two others behind.

Few minutes later, Barquio said, he heard burst of gunfire coming from Casteen’s room. The guard immediately held the two members of the group and turned them over to the police.

Chief Inspector George Ylanan, Investigation and Detective Management Branch chief of the Cebu City Police Office, said Galliste and his cohorts shot the victim immediately after he opened the door of his room.

“Nanuktok na unya pag-abli gibirahan dayon,” he said.

One of the arrested minor suspects told the police that they have decided to kill the victim because his girlfriend wanted him dead.

“Ang gusto niya kay kwarta man unya kung gamiton siya sa Amerkano di siya mosugot,” one of the suspects said.

The police recovered three deform slugs, four empty shells of caliber .45 pistol, gray VOV knapsack with bloodstains containing a caliber .45 pistol, two empty shells of caliber .45 pistol, 27 live ammunitions of M16, one live ammunition of .38 caliber, one black holster, one Amigo white T-shirt with bloodstain and one green umbrella.  (FREEMAN)