Man stays alive by playing dead

CEBU, Philippines - A man was able to save himself by playing dead after he and a companion were shot by an unidentified assailant yesterday dawn in Sitio Ponce II, Barangay Carreta, Cebu City.

The survivor was identified as Gilbert Balanguigi, a mechanic's assistant, while the fatality was Glicerio "Jun" Pace, 45, a mechanic, from Bato, Oslob.

Police investigation revealed that Balanguigi and Pace were about to leave the house of a friend when they were shot.

Balanguigi was revving his XRM motorcycle with license plate number 7919 OS and Pace sat in the back when Balanguigi heard a gunshot.

He asked Pace about the noise. When Pace did not answer Balanguigi looked closer at Pace and noticed blood coming out of his head. He then saw a man pointing a gun at them and fire, hitting him in the thigh.

Balanguigi, Pace and the motorcycle fell to the ground. Balanguigi said he played dead when he saw assailant was coming at them. He said he heard the assailant's companion saying "siguroha nga patay na ba gyud" and he decided not to move.

The gunman shot Pace in the head again and shot Balanguigi in his right ankle Balanguigi did not react.

The assailant and his companion emptied his pockets and the pockets of Pace, taking their wallets, money and cellular phones, before running away when local residents started to check the scene.

After they were gone, Balanguigi said he stood up and hailed a cab to take him to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center.

Homicide Section investigator PO1 Michael Angelo Singson praised the victim for his guts saying he is very tough and at the same time very lucky.

Investigators recovered a bag, a t-shirt, a jacket, a ball cap, several documents, rolled tin foil, P2,500 cash, a book on the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act, the helmet and the victim's motorcycle from the crime scene. (FREEMAN)