Physician survives shooting

A physician on her way to the hospital was shot by a still unidentified man riding tandem Tuesday evening, August 29, at Yacapin-Quirino streets, Barangay 35, Cagayan de Oro City.

Police identified the victim as 45 year-old Dr. Zaynab Abejuela, resident of Carmen village, this city.

Abejuela, an endocrinologist

of Maria Reyna Hospital with consulting work in other hospitals in the city, was on board a Toyota Fortuner vehicle driven by Ronie Quinones.

Abejuela was on her way to Cagayan de Oro Medical Center (COMC), when shot once by the unidentified gunman. Quinones, Abejuela’s driver, was unscathed. Inspector Jason Sto. Domingo, deputy chief of police station 2, said Abejuela sustained a lone gunshot wound on her chest which pierced through her arm.

He said the victim was rushed to the hospital and is now in stable condition after undergoing surgery Wednesday morning.

The suspects, one of whom was wearing hooded jacket and armed with a revolver, fled towards Barangay Gusa after the shooting.

Authorities said a witness who saw the two suspects prior to the incident helped police come up with a cartographic sketch/facial composite.

Police are now looking investigating a ‘person of interest’ in relation to the shooting.

Sto. Domingo also said investigators have started gathering footages of Closed-circuit television cameras (CCTV) from nearby establishments to look for clear images of the tow suspects.

He said some of the CCTV footages were already forwarded to the anti-cyber crime unit for enhancement.

“We submit the copy of CCTV footages sa anti-cybercrime unit para ma-enhance yung video kasi di masyadong clear yung raw na kuha,”Sto. Domingo said.

Sto. Domingo said there are still no clear motive for the murder attempt but said a personal grudge may have benn the motive of the shooting.

“Ang pinakatinitingnan natin is yung mga nakaaway or mga dating nakasagutan ng biktima,”Sto. Domingo said.