“Snatcher” slain with hammer

CEBU, Philippines - A 17-year-old boy reportedly involved in a series of snatching incidents died after he was hit with a hammer by an unidentified person past 12 noon on Sunday along Progreso Street, Barangay Ermita, Cebu City.

Julius Sereño, of Sitio Bato, Barangay Ermita, was brought to the hospital after an unidentified person hit his head with a hammer but died hours later at the Cebu City Medical Center.

Police Officer 3 Antonio Tejero of Carbon Police Station, the first responder, said that when he arrived at the crime he saw the victim’s foot shaking after he was hit on the head.

“Pag-abot nako sa lugar, makita pa gyud nimo nga nagkirig-kirig ang usa niya ka till,” Tejero said.

The victim was brought immediately by Reynaldo Cabunag, barangay tanod, to the Cebu City Medical Center but a few hours after he was treated, he died at the hospital due to severe head injury.

Initial investigation conducted by the Homicide Section of the Cebu City Police Office, led by Senior Police Office 4 Alex Dacua, revealed that the victim was standing along Progreso Street.

A few minutes later, an unidentified person hit the victim with a hammer on his head and then fled away.

Tejero said that when he arrived at the crime scene, the witnesses said nothing about the incident.

SPO4 Dacua said that the victim is a “noted snatcher in the area” and he has been arrested by the barangay tanods several times for snatching.

SPO4 Dacua believes that the perpetrator might have been angered by Sereño’s illegal activities and resorted to killing him.

He said that the man who hit Sereño might have been one of his victims.  (FREEMAN)