2 dead, 5 wounded in NegOcc shootings

BACOLOD CITY -Two men died while five others were injured in separate shooting incidents in Negros Occidental on Good Friday and Black Saturday, reports from the Police Regional Office-6 in Western Visayas and the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office showed.

At about 5:30 p.m. Friday, Sunny Villamor, 58, of Barangay Tabugon, was gunned down on his way home from Barangay Camansi allegedly by two suspects identified as Joseph Dequitos, 21, and Josing Caliwa, 38, both residents of the village.

Initial investigation of the Kabankalan City Police showed Villamor came from the house of Rodelo Esteban, where he watched a card game of “tongits” when attacked.

Villamor's son, Sammy, 18, witnessed his father being shot by the two suspects.

According to the report, Dequitos and Caliwa followed the elder Villamor from Esteban’s house.

It said Dequitos fired at the elder Villamor but the victim was not hit and was even able to stab Caliwa, who in turn fired at the victim. Dequitos again shot Villamor, who died immediately.

Policemen were able to arrest Caliwa, who was brought to Bacolod City to get treatment for his stab wound.

Dequitos, however, was able to escape.

Police investigation showed that on March 28, Villamor and Caliwa fought over a game of “tong-its,” with the former accusing the suspect of cheating.

In Moises Padilla town, Dave Tortal, 44, a Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team member, was shot by four suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) at his residence in Barangay Odiong at about 7:40 p.m. Friday.

Tortal was standing at the terrace when his assailants fired, hitting him on the left thigh. He crawled to get his gun inside the house and fired back.

He heard the retreating gunmen shout “Mga NPA ni, hapa!” (We are NPAs, get down!), while continuing to fire shots. Tortal was brought to Bacolod City for treatment.

In Calatrava town, the group of Kadong Mancao engaged in a shootout with the group of Arnie and Boboy Solitas in Sitio Magsimbahon, Barangay Malatas at about 1:15 p.m. on Friday.

One person was wounded but the victim was not identifi ed.

Police investigation showed the two groups collect revolutionary taxes for the NPA, and the collected money caused the misunderstanding.

After the incident, joint operatives of the Calatrava and Toboso police, with the 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company, conducted checkpoint operations on possible withdrawal routes of the groups.

Over at Cauayan town, Luciano Montilla Jr. alias “Luciano Concepcion”, 38, of Barangay Baclao, died on the spot while councilman Luciano Montilla Sr.,

58, of the same village, was injured when they were shot by four unidentified men in Barangay Inayawan at about 9:30 a.m. Saturday.

The victims were on a motorcycle when the assailants waylaid them.

The gunmen fled while the victims were treated at the Cauayan District Hospital. Police are still investigating the motive behind the shooting.

In Silay City, Bartolome Tanjay was wounded after he was shot by Gerard Apora at their neighborhood at Hacienda Dorothea, Barangay Kapitan Ramon around 7 p.m. Saturday.

Police investigation showed both the victim and the suspect were having a drinking session with Tanjay’s cousin and Apora’s brother when the suspect’s three-year-old son took their food.

Tanjay admonished the boy which apparently irked Apora, who went home and came back with an improvised gun.

He shot Tanjay on both legs. The suspect was brought to the Teresita L. Jalandoni Provincial Hospital while the suspect fled. (PNA)