Teener shot near grotto

CEBU, Philippines - An 18-year-old man was shot by a security guard while talking with his two friends in a grotto in Sitio Panabang, Brgy. Apas, Cebu City Saturday night.

Carlo Lacuña, 18, single and a resident of Rotunda, Brgy Apas, Cebu City was shot allegedly by Roel Gosila, a security guard at the grotto.

The victim claimed that he was with his friends Elsed Agui and Along Sabaldan and were conversing with each other at the vicinity of the grotto. The suspect suddenly appeared and warned them not to make any loud noise.

Lacuña said they walked away but Gosila pulled out an undetermined caliber of firearm and shot him at the buttock.

Lacuña was rushed to the Cebu City Medical Center by the Emergency Rescue Unit for treatment. He is already in stable condition.

Gosila fled right after the incident and was no longer at the grotto when the Mobile Patrol Group responded to the area.

Yesterday noon, the security guard went to the Homicide Section to clear himself of the crime.

Gosila, who is connected with Sterling Security Agency and detailed at a bank at Escario St, denied shooting the victim.

Gosila, in an interview with The FREEMAN, said he only told off the youngsters, about five of them, to leave the place because of their loud noise, and then went back inside an office of his fellow security guards. He was not on duty at that time.

He just arrived back at the office when one of his companions asked him if he heard the burst of gunfire, to which he replied no.

As what his companions observed, he said, the sound of gunfire came from a higher vacant lot, some 300 meters away from their office. They then continued their usual conversation until he went home yesterday morning.

He wondered why there were policemen looking for him, so he reported to the barangay. He was then turned over to the Homicide Section. — (FREEMAN)