CEBU, Philippines - A man is now in critical condition after he was shot yesterday in Barangay Kamagayan, Cebu City.
Abelarde Sander, alias “Opaw”, 41, was shot inside his rented room in the interior portion of the said barangay by an unidentified assailant at around 5 a.m.
Sander said that he was lying in his bed when an unknown assailant suddenly broke into his room, pulled out a gun and shot him once.
He was hit in the left side of his torso with the bullet exiting from the other side of his body.
Though wounded, the victim still managed to limp out of his room and hailed a public utility jeepney and asked to be brought to the Cebu City Medical Center where he is still recuperating.
The unknown assailant was able to escape.
PO3 Ruth Violango, Cebu City Police Office homicide investigator, said that the victim refused to cooperate with their investigation and they suspect he actually knows the assailant.
“Nakakita tingali siya sa nagpusil niya. Mora’g gisulod gyud siya kay naguba man ang pultahan, walay niistorya didto nga mga tawo,” she added.
Sander, who was jailed for illegal drugs, was recently released from the Cebu City Jail, Violango said.
Aside from the possibility that the attack might be related to drugs, Violango said they are still exploring other possible motives.
She, however, quickly denied the possibly that the incident was orchestrated by a vigilante group.
Just this week, Sander was the second victim of a “vigilante style” attack on people with police records in the city. The first was Joselito Ancajas Ramirez, who shot dead by two men on a motorcycle at S. Osmeña corner R. Palma streets, Barangay San Roque, Cebu City, last Saturday.
Meanwhile, two men were killed and another was injured in separate shooting incidents in Danao City last Thursday.
A technician of an Automated Tubig Machine died after being shot 13 times in different parts of his body while his companion was injured after they were shot by two unidentified men in Barangay Looc.
Cristino Balauta, 46, of Sitio Cogon, Barangay Poblacion, Liloan died on the spot due to multiple gunshot wounds.
His companion, Jerry Malagar, 40, a worker of the Lucky Tableware in Mandaue City only sustained a gunshot wound in his right foot. He was taken to the Danao City District Hospital for treatment.
PO2 Phil Restauro, Danao City police investigator, said that both were walking along the national highway of the place around 2:30 p.m. when they were suddenly blocked by the assailants on board a motorcycle and shot.
Police recovered 13 empty shells from a .45 cal. pistol at the crime scene.
Restauro said they are now coordinating with the family of Balauta to determine if the victim had enemies.
“Dili sad nato isalikway ang posibilidad nga nasuyaan siya tungod ba kaha sa iyang trabaho,” he said.
An hour later another shooting alarm happened in Barangay Tabok Kamalig where a motorcycle-for-hire driver was shot dead by his own passenger.
Residents nearby only heard a single gunshot before they found Nestor Dinoy, 27, of Barangay Kahumayan dead of a gunshot wound to the nape with the bullet exiting from his forehead.
Restauro said the passenger was heard asking “pila plete?” before the shot was fired.
Prior to the incident the assailant asked Dinoy to fetch take him to Barangay Tabok Kamalig from Barangay Kahumayan. (FREEMAN)