“Hired gun” killed in shootout

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines — A suspected gun-for-hire in this city Tuesday afternoon died in what was reported as a shootout between him and another gun man, who was also wounded and is now recuperating at a local hospital.

Superintendent Jovita Atanacio, acting chief of the City Police, identified the fatality as Phalix Acabal Jr., while the wounded person is Joven Soreño, a resident of Daro, who sustained a gunshot wound in the leg.

Police responded to a call from residents in the area about the exchange of gun fires between the two. Recovered from the scene were the .45-caliber pistol of Acabal, 14 spent shells of bullets and deformed slugs.

Reports had it that Soreño was able to go home, leaving behind his motorcycle at the scene, and left his gun inside his house. The police is now looking for his firearm.

Ballistic examination and cross matching of the recovered gun from Acabal is now being processed to determine if it was used in other shooting incidents in the city, such as in the killing of Spencer Tañamor in Piapi.

Acabal was indicted for the murder of Tañamor, and was identified by witnesses as the gunman in a shooting incident on election day. He was also among the suspects in the controversial gasoline station’s shooting incident, which was caught on video by a CCTV camera.

Atanacio, however, could not divulge as to the motive but initial information disclosed Soreño’s wife is the sister of Tañamor and both are close friends. —(FREEMAN)