Businessman shot dead in Balamban

CEBU, Philippines - A man who owns a pharmacy and a merchandise store was shot dead in front of his house in Barangay Sta. Cruz- Sto. Niño, Balamban town, yesterday morning.

Victor Awit Mapa, 62, widower, and resident of the said place, was about to jog that morning when two unidentified assailants on board a motorcycle, shot him several times hitting different parts of his body.

Mapa was rushed by her daughter, Joy, to the Balamban Provincial Hospital but he was declared dead on arrival.

Police are now pursuing two possible angles which include Mapa’s alleged affairs with several women and a land dispute.

Prior to the incident, Mapa was outside his house around 5:40a.m. when two men on board a blue-colored motorcycle went near and shot him several times.

The gunshots woke Joy up. She saw her father sprawled on the ground. She then rushed him to the hospital.

Nobody was able to identify the gunmen.

Police recovered from the scene five empty shells and one slug of .45 caliber pistol believed to be from the firearm used by the gunman.

PO2 Godofredo Dumdum, of the Balamban Police Station, said that of the two motives being investigated, they pursued the land dispute angle more because Mapa had an altercation with a man last week about a parcel of land.

Dumdum said Mapa’s aunt left him a parcel of land as he was the only nephew who lived in Balamban. Proceeds of the harvested crops from the land were reportedly kept by Mapa.

“Patay na ang iyaan unya siyay gibilinan ang abot sa yuta mura’g naa niya unya nagkalalis o ba kaha wala magkasinabot sa abot, (His aunt died and he was left to manage the harvests from his aunt’s lot. There seemed to be a misunderstanding regarding the harvest),” Dumdum said in a phone interview.

The body is now subjected to an autopsy.

Police are still investigating the incident.— /MIT (FREEMAN)